


(F)ace it

by SilentRain91



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Asexual Character, Baby Gay Alex Danvers, Coming Out, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Lesbian Lena Luthor, No Smut, POV Alternating, Sam and Reign are sisters, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-21 03:01:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 40,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14907075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentRain91/pseuds/SilentRain91
Summary: One thing Lena, Kara, Alex, and Sam have in common is the fact their love life is non-existent. It doesn’t help one of them is a lesbian who is pining hopelessly, the second is asexual, the third is a clueless closeted lesbian, and the fourth has a baby. When the lines of friendship blur, can they face their feelings?





	1. Chapter 1

Sam stirred when wails sounded through the three-bedroom duplex. As the cries got increasingly louder, she rushed to get up, resulting in stumbling down to the floor. The cold six am air made her shiver. She shouldn’t have left her window open. Sleeping in a warm bed while wearing a tank top and shorts was one thing, but getting out of bed was another thing entirely.

There was no need for an alarm clock when Sam was able to count on her two months old rousing her from her sleep with little effort. She scrambled up to her feet, wriggled her feet into a pair of slippers, and whisked her robe off the hook on her door.

Sam rubbed her eyes. She had no doubt she had black circles from being sleep-deprived. She chose this life when she refused to get an abortion, to which her foster mother showed her the door. While raising a child took a lot out of her, she loved Ruby with all of her heart, and if she could go back in time, she would make the same decision she made months ago.

Slumping through the hall, Sam reached her daughter’s bedroom. It was the last door on the right, and she saw it was partially open. When she entered, her older sister stood next to the crib with Ruby in her arms.

“I’m sorry she woke you up again,” Sam said, sighing. She hoped Ruby didn’t wake her sister’s girlfriend, too.

Eight months ago, when Sam discovered she was pregnant, she called her sister in tears, not knowing where to go. Reign – which was more of a nickname her sister developed in high school because people said how much her real name, Reyna, sounded like Reign – was twenty-two, and she took Sam in after their foster mother kicked Sam out. Reign’s girlfriend was immediately on board, both of them supported Sam.

Reign and Sam looked a lot alike, to the point where growing up, people wrongly believed they were twins, while Reign had four years on Sam. Reign’s hair was long whereas Sam kept hers short to the point where it didn’t even touch her shoulders. Their clothing styles were also different. Ninety-nine percent of Reign’s closet consisted of black clothes. Sam’s wardrobe, on the other hand, was more diverse.

Sam sensed Reign didn’t notice her presence, too wrapped up in the little bundle in her arms. She watched as her sister rocked Ruby, stroked her tiny back, and whispered things she couldn’t decipher. Slowly, her daughter’s wails turned into sniffles.

Reign glanced at Sam, then. “You look exhausted,” she said, frowning while the corners of her lips curled down.

“I am,” Sam sighed, rubbing her temples. “I woke up every two hours to feed Ruby, which I know is my responsibility. She’s my daughter after all, and I chose to keep her. I’m not complaining. I’m tired, that’s all.”

Reign kissed the top of her niece’s head. “You don’t have to get up to get ready for school for another hour,” she replied, which was true if it wasn’t for the fact Sam had a child to take care of.

“Go back to bed,” Reign said, nodding her head towards the hall. “I will feed your little one.”

Sam’s first impulse was to decline because her sister already did so much for her, but she was worn out to the point where she could fall asleep atop the table. “You’re nice when you want to be,” she responded with a tired smile, though if she put all teasing aside, she knew she got lucky to have such a caring sister.

Sam walked over to press a quick kiss to the top of her daughter’s head. “Mommy loves you,” she whispered, running a hand through Ruby’s soft brown locks.

“Wake me up in an hour?” Sam asked, exiting her daughter’s bedroom after Reign nodded. “Thanks, Rey,” she called out over her shoulder.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara sighed at the sight of a large banner which announced the upcoming dance. As if she needed a reminder of the night that seemed fabricated for students to sleep with each other. It was a thorn in her eye, another telltale sign of how different she was, as if being an alien didn’t make her different enough already. She used to think it was great she couldn’t get sick, but now she wished she could be ill on that particular night.

Alex joined her sister at their lunch table in the school cafeteria. It was their usual spot, close to the windows. “Hey,” she said as she put her tray down.

Kara peeled her eyes away from the banner. “Hi, Alex,” she replied with a small smile. She hoped her sister didn’t mind she didn’t wait in the lunch line for her.

“So…,” Alex said slowly. Her eyes darted around, little lines formed between her eyebrows, and she scratched the back of her neck. “I heard some guys talking about asking you to the dance, and I heard you turned Mike down when he asked you.”

Kara shrugged a shoulder. She didn’t see a point in her sister bringing up the obvious. “I don’t like him,” she stated plainly, which was a severe understatement. Stabbing a fork in her eyes sounded more appealing than going anywhere with high school jerk number one.

Mike had a bloated ego, thinking he could hook up with anyone he wanted by flashing his puppy eyes, and by making it sound like he was doing them a favor as if it was supposed to be an honor rather than a living hell. His king of the world attitude made Kara uncomfortable.

“He’s not the greatest guy,” Alex admitted. “But he’s a quarterback, and he’s been pining after you.”

“I’m not going to the dance with him, Alex,” Kara sighed, on the verge of throwing up at the thought alone. “In fact, I’m not even sure if I want to go at all. All the guys talk about is how they want to take girls’ virginity after the dance. They book hotel rooms and stuff or talk about doing it behind the bleachers, and I don’t want that.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want that either,” Alex replied, visibly cringing as if the thought alone was enough to make her nauseous. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. We can enjoy the dance without _that_ happening.”

“You got asked to the dance by Maxwell, and you said yes. I thought you hated him,” Kara said with a frown. She could have sworn her sister loathed that guy because she was always complaining about him, about how annoying he was.

Alex shrugged. “He’s popular, and others said I should feel flattered,” she replied while she plucked absentmindedly at her sandwich. “It’s just a dance,” she said with a deep sigh.  

“A dance you’ve been looking forward to,” Kara pointed out, knowing her sister counted down to it. “You don’t have to go with him just because others say you should. You’re smarter than that,” she said, honestly a little surprised Alex gave in to the pressure of their peers. “I heard Sam wanted to ask you…,” she threaded carefully.

A rosy pink blush appeared on Alex’s cheeks. “Sam’s a girl,” she whispered while she looked around as if to secure nobody else listened. “That would be… I don’t know…,” she chuckled and ran her fingers through her hair. “Why would I go with her?”

Kara sipped slowly from her soda. She failed not hearing the way her sister’s heart skipped a beat whenever Sam was brought up. “She’s not Maxwell, for starters,” she answered, which was a good enough reason on its own.

Kara had an inkling her sister liked Sam, fancied even. It was all in the little things, how Alex blushed or shied away, or how her heart did silly things like skipping a beat or beat faster, or how she stuttered when Sam said hello to her. All in all, it was endearing seeing her sister like that. She remembered how two years ago, Alex was similar when it came down to Vicky Donahue, but Vicky dated some guy and switched schools a year ago.

“You’re right,” Alex agreed. “Compared to Maxwell almost everyone else is an upgrade,” she huffed.

“Sam does look nice,” Alex blurted out. “I mean, she looks li-like a ni-nice person,” she stuttered as her cheeks darkened.

“I’d say she looks nice and she is a nice person,” Kara replied, which earned her a curious look from her sister. She wasn’t blind. She was capable of seeing when someone was aesthetically appealing. “Maybe you can ask her if she wants to eat lunch with us?” she suggested in the hopes of encouraging Alex a little bit.

Alex’s cheeks went from pink to crimson. “Only if you ask Lena,” she countered. “The whole school knows she always smiles at you.”

Kara would have disagreed and said Lena often smiled at people. It was pretty much a basic thing the Luthor girl did, although not all of her smiles were the same. “Um, Alex…There’s something I need to tell you…,” she said, sighing as her sister got up, and left to ask Sam and Lena to join them for lunch. She didn’t mean to give Alex the wrong impression.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena noticed Sam was unusually silent while they got their lunch. Her friend hadn’t even voiced a complaint about the pop quiz they received, which generally threw her into a rant about how unprepared she was. They were friends since fifth grade. At the time she was only eight years old because she skipped two classes while all of the other children were ten.

Most children were at least a head taller than her and were mean to her. One day she sat outside on a bench when all of the children were playing, and she was reading a book. Sam had approached her, and they were inseparable ever since. Even now some students eyed her strangely because she was a sixteen-year-old senior in high school.

Sam slumped towards their lunch table and dropped her tray with an audible exhale.

“You look like you’re in a bad mood,” Lena noted while she sat down across from Sam. “Who rained on your parade?”

“Alex said yes to Maxwell, for the dance,” Sam answered with her brows furrowed. “I thought she disliked him. I guess I was wrong.”

“If you ask me it’s all about peer pressure,” Lena replied, understanding now why her friend couldn’t spare a smile.

“I doubt she would have said yes if I would have asked her to the dance,” Sam whispered. She opened her bottle of water and took a swig. “She’s obviously in the closet, probably deep enough not even Aslan has seen her, and I’m just some eighteen years old with a baby. My chances are pretty much below zero right now.”

“You mean you’re a foxy mom with an adorable baby girl,” Lena corrected. She knew her friend was right about Alex being in the closet since it certainly looked that way due to how blind Alex was to girls flirting with her, but that didn’t mean Sam didn’t stand a chance.

Sam took another swig from her water as if she hoped for it to turn into vodka. “Have you asked Kara yet?” she asked, smiling thinly.

Lena should have known her friend would turn the tables on her. “I don’t think I can,” she answered while she shook her head. She was reasonably sure Kara was out of her league, and if she was honest, she had no idea if Kara was even into girls.  

“You’ve been giving her googly eyes for months.”

Lena gasped, but the serious look on her friend’s face told her denying it was futile. “I like her,” she admitted. “But I don’t think she likes me,” she added in an afterthought.

“You can always try to woo her,” Sam suggested, grinning as she took another sip of her water. “Like stand outside of her window, and recite a poem to her.”

Lena regretted she ever told her friend she wrote poems. “And die of embarrassment and rejection?” she scoffed. “No thank you, hard pass. I don’t even know where she lives.”

“Okay, maybe not exactly that, but you’ll think of something,” Sam replied, reaching her hand over the table to pat Lena’s hand. “I think Alex is walking towards us,” she whispered while her eyes darted around. “How do I look?”

Lena raised an eyebrow. “You look like you should ask her out,” she answered bluntly.

“You forget she’s already been asked,” Sam pointed out as she looked into Lena’s eyes. “I don’t stand a chance.”

Lena was going to regret this, but she wanted her friend to be happy. “How about this; if you ask Alex to the dance I’ll ask Kara,” she suggested. She bit back a groan when a broad smile spread on Sam’s face.

“It’s a deal,” Sam whispered. She shook Lena’s hand for a second before she cleared her throat, and withdrew her hand. “Hello, Alex,” she said with a warm smile, just as the eldest Danvers sister approached their table.

“H-hi, Sam,” Alex replied while her hands fumbled with the hem of her shirt. “Lena,” she added with a nod in Lena’s direction.

“Hello, Alex,” Lena replied politely. She felt bad for Alex, how nervous she appeared. Being in the closet wasn’t easy. Personally, she came out as a lesbian two years ago, with lots of support from Sam who was openly bisexual while her mother reacted as if she had declared war.

“Um… my sister and I were won-wondering if may-maybe,” Alex said as she glanced away each time Sam looked at her, “if you’d li-like to… have lunch?”

“Of course Lena and I like to have lunch,” Sam answered with a devious smile. “That’s why we’re currently eating lunch.”

Lena kicked Sam’s shin under the table for being such a tease.

“R-right…,” Alex whispered, wringing her hands together. “What I meant was… um,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck.

Lena moved her eyes urgently from Sam to Alex until her friend caught on.

“We’d be happy to join you for lunch,” Sam said to Alex. “Are you alright?” she asked while she lightly touched Alex’s arm. “You look a little… flushed,” she hummed, her words sounding particularly deliberate.

Lena would have to kill her friend for not letting Alex catch a break.

“Oh, I um... I’m totally fine,” Alex answered as she let out a nervous chuckle. “It’s new makeup I’m trying on. I’ll go wa-wash it off.”

Lena smacked Sam’s arm when Alex rushed off to the bathroom. “That was a little cruel, Sam,” she whispered while she picked up her tray. “You should go easy on her before she faints or worse.”

“You’re probably right,” Sam sighed. “I hardly remember what it feels like being in the closet.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex gripped the sink in the bathroom. She was fine, totally, completely, definitely no- fine! Staring at herself in the mirror, she groaned at how red her cheeks were. New makeup she tried, seriously, that was the best excuse she could come up with?

“I hate my life,” Alex muttered under her breath, turning on the faucet, hoping splashing water into her face might help.

Sam made her nervous for reasons she didn’t understand. It happened last year, and this year it happened again. Alex didn’t know why her palms got all sweaty whenever Sam said so much as hello to her. She used to have a similar experience with her ex-best friend, Vicky, who wound up moving, but that was different.

Well, it was in a sense Vicky was Alex’s best friend while Sam was nothing but a student she hardly interacted with. She didn’t know much about Sam, other than the fact she hung out with the rich Luthor girl, and how they both didn’t have any other friends. Sam used to have multiple friends up until a year ago, when the rumor about her being pregnant spread, which resulted in Sam losing all of her friends aside from Lena, and her popularity along with it.

Alex didn’t understand. She didn’t get it a year ago, and she still couldn’t grasp why Sam’s friends ditched her as if she was nothing. Students tended to be cruel when someone didn’t fit their ridiculous standards.

A girl walked in and stared at Alex. “Did someone spit in your food or something?”

“Mind your own business,” Alex replied through gritted teeth. Sometimes, she couldn’t help her temper, plus she didn’t appreciate people prying.

The girl smiled at that, which was an unusual response. “I’ll send my condolences to Maxwell,” she winked.

Alex felt revolted, reminded she was going to the dance with Maxwell. Kara was right, she was smarter than that, but every guy who asked her out made her want to curl in on herself. She said yes to him to get it over with, to avoid answering why she rejected a handful of guys at first. Not that she owed anyone any explanation whatsoever.

“Knock yourself out,” Alex huffed, confused why the girl remained where she was. “What do you want?”

“I was hoping someone in here could spare a tampon, but you’re the only one who’s in the bathroom aside from me, and you seem upset.”

“Oh,” Alex replied, shoulders sagging as she deflated. “Yeah, I have a tampon in here somewhere,” she said, rummaging through her backpack. “Look, I… I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m a little stressed. It’s nothing against you personally.”

“Sam’s quite the looker, isn’t she?” the girl commented with something akin to understanding in her eyes.

“I guess she looks okay,” Alex mumbled, eyes darting around the bathroom. “All girls are beautiful in their own way,” she concluded, feigning a cough under the girl’s scrutinizing gaze. “Well, here you go,” she said, handing over the tampon. “I should go back to the cafeteria. I’m thir-hungry.”

Alex dragged the palms of her hands down her face as she walked out of the bathroom, wondering why today hated her so much.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Kara smiled tentatively when Sam and Lena joined her for lunch. She hoped her sister wouldn’t be in the bathroom too long, though she had a feeling she went there to take a breather.

“The dance is closing in,” Sam said with a sweet smile. “Are you looking forward to it?”

Kara sighed and shut her eyes for a second or two. When she opened them, Lena was frowning at her. It was tiring how everyone kept talking about the dance. Most students made it sound as if it was a big deal, but it was different back on Krypton. On Krypton every dance was more of a formal gathering, and it didn’t matter if a girl went with a girl or a guy with a guy.

On Krypton people didn’t plan to hook up after a dance. They didn’t book rooms, didn’t take people somewhere private to make out. Nobody even needed to bring a date. They went to formal gatherings, and politely asked people if they wanted to dance with them. On earth, they put too much pressure on the physical aspect, and it was confusing how boys asking girls to the dance was considered the norm.

Sexuality was fluid on Krypton. Nobody labeled anyone, and nobody was homophobic or any of those things. When Kara came to earth, she did plenty of research and discovered a label she felt comfortable with, although she only did so for personal reasons, not out of obligation.

Lena shared a glance with Sam.

“What’s the point of the dance?” Kara asked although it was more of a rhetorical question. “Students either stand to the side like wallflowers, step onto each other’s toes, or practice hours for a dance with some guy or girl that won’t happen, or for someone they try to impress so that they can get in their pants. Meanwhile, they get wasted on cheap beer, and throw caution to the wind.”

“That last bit sounded like me last year,” Sam said with a deep sigh.

“Sam,” Lena whispered, placing a hand on Sam’s arm.

“No, it’s okay, I’m not offended or upset,” Sam replied as she brushed Lena’s hand away. “You have a point, but it’s not the full picture,” she said to Kara.

Kara hadn’t meant to offend Sam or insult her because she got pregnant during the dance last year. It must have been hard on the senior, who lost all of her friends aside from Lena while she was pregnant.

“Hey, sorry that took so long,” Alex apologized as she joined them at the lunch table. “What did I miss?”

“My opinion about the dance,” Kara answered, rolling her eyes. She would rather talk about basically anything that wasn’t the dance.

“The dance can be something magical,” Sam said to Kara. “Think about the students who spend months trying to find the right outfit and the right shoes, or the ones who hire a limousine because they want to do something special for their date. Or think about that moment where you get a picture taken with your date as a reminder of how awkward or amazing the dance was, depending on your date I guess.”

Alex put her elbow on the table, and rested her chin in the palm of her hand, staring dreamily at Sam.

“It’s not solely about trying to get into someone’s pants,” Sam said. “This year I told myself not to get intimate, no matter how well the night goes.”

Lena added her voice to the argument, sighing as she said, “I wish guys would grow up. Too many of them are looking to get laid after the dance.”

“I’d drink to that,” Kara replied with a nod. “With water,” she clarified. “I don’t drink. I mean, of course, I drink. I need to stay hydrated. I mean I don’t drink alcohol.”

Lena’s lips curled up into a smile.

Kara’s nostrils flared when she heard Maxwell brag to his buddies about the dance and Alex.

“Kara?” Alex said. “What’s wrong?”

“I uh… erm, I just remembered something I heard earlier,” Kara answered, squeezing her sister’s hand. “Maxwell told some guys how he’d be able to scratch you off of his list after the dance,” she explained with a grimace.

“What a scumbag,” Sam grumbled. “You deserve better than a guy who wants to tell the whole school what you’re like in bed,” she said to Alex.

All the color drained from Alex’s face. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to sleep with that weasel,” she hissed as she got up.

Kara held her breath while her sister marched up to Maxwell. She knew he was bound to be in trouble now that he pissed off Alex. “Finally,” she breathed out when she heard her sister tell him he had to find another date.

Sam eyed Alex, who had Maxwell pinned against the wall. “So hot,” she whispered, biting her lip.

“Looks like my sister and I both don’t have a date to the dance,” Kara noted. She wasn’t interested in going, but she knew Alex was, and she didn’t want to ruin that for her. “I’d go with Alex, but that might be a little weird,” she said, assuming nobody went to the dance with their sibling.

“I would go with Sam, but we’re pretty much sisters,” Lena replied, nodding her agreement.

“Perhaps the four of us can go to the dance together,” Kara suggested, just as her sister sat down again. “We could do it for…,” she trailed off, weighing her words. “For feminism and equality,” she finished.

“That’s… some idea you have there,” Alex said to Kara, laughing lightly.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Sam said. “Alex, will you go to the dance with me?”

Kara winced when her sister choked on thin air.

“Sure,” Alex answered once she got a grip. “We can go as friends.”

“Friends, yes. That was definitely what I meant,” Sam said, sharing a look with Lena.

“It’s settled then,” Kara beamed. “Oh, Lena, you’re my date, just to be clear,” she said while her eyes widened when Lena’s eyebrows shot up. “I mean… err… that wasn’t right. Do you want to date me? I mean to be my date for the dance,” she explained, wishing she could sink into the floor just about now.

“I’d love to,” Lena answered with a genuine smile. “Your speech was brief yet convincing. Feminism and equality are important,” she said while Sam scoffed silently.

“I could have given a long speech, but I’m kind of hungry,” Kara replied, disliking how their lunchtime didn’t last longer than an hour. “They didn’t have much chocolate pudding in the cafeteria today. I only got one bowl,” she said with a pout as she looked down at it. Most times they let her have two.

“You can have mine,” Lena offered, already handing her bowl over. “I’m not much of a fan of chocolate pudding anyway,” she said with a casual air.

“Chocolate pudding is your favorite dessert,” Sam said to Lena, a smile tugged at her lips.

“No, it’s not,” Lena dejected, nudging Sam’s side with her elbow.

“Thank you, Lena,” Kara beamed. “You’re the best,” she said, smiling from ear to ear while Lena’s heartbeat sounded elevated.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena’s heart fluttered, seeing Kara enjoy her chocolate pudding. She didn’t even get over the fact yet Kara asked her to the dance, and now she had heart palpations because Kara licked her spoon clean repeatedly, with the utmost care as if she didn’t want to let a single bit go to waste. The fact Kara was her date if only for that one evening next month, meant there was hope Kara liked her after all.

“I like your shirt, it brings out your eyes,” Lena said to Kara, reaching for her bottle of water, feeling somewhat parched all of a sudden.

“Oh, Alex bought me this shirt,” Kara replied with a smile. “It’s an easy one to take off.”

Lena spat a mouthful of water onto the table. Great, a mental image of Kara taking off her shirt was exactly what she needed. If asked, she would say she was drinking too fast or remembered something she had forgotten.

“The last time when we had to get dressed for gym I got myself stuck in my shirt,” Kara sighed. “It was a little too skintight. I think since it was one of my older shirts, but I’ve grown.”

“I noticed,” Lena blurted out. “We all grow,” she added quickly, “every day until we’re fully grown.”

“Nice save,” Sam snickered in Lena’s ear.

Lena knew already Kara got stuck in her shirt once, which gave her a good eyeful of some ridiculously refined abs, and a sports bra until she decided it was rude to stare and had respectfully looked away. As a lesbian, getting changed for gym was both a dream and a nightmare. Kara’s body wasn’t why she had a crush on her though. No, her body was a bonus. She liked Kara because she was a total dork and the sight of her alone was enough to make her smile, even on her worst days.

“I’ll never forget that day,” Alex said with a shake of her head. “I never thought I’d have to help you take off your shirt,” she muttered to Kara.

“Would you prefer to take off another girl’s shirt?” Sam asked Alex.

Alex’s cheeks reddened. “They should really lower the temperature in the cafeteria,” she said while she waved her hand in front of her face. “This isn’t a sauna.”

“If you’re hot and bothered by it, perhaps you should dress lighter,” Sam quipped.

Lena gave her friend an incredulous look. It was smooth. She had to hand Sam that, but for a closeted lesbian it was too much.

Alex’s jaw was ajar. She gaped at Sam while she appeared to be at a loss for words.

“Hey, uh… speaking of gym,” Kara interrupted. “We have it today,” she said, chuckling when Lena groaned. “I love gym. It’s a definite top three for me.”

“Ditto that,” Alex chimed in.

“Idem,” Sam added. “Lena can’t relate.”

“Gym is a sweaty hell,” Lena muttered. “Mister Olsen always makes us run a few laps, and my boobs are not happy about that. They jiggle far too much.”

“I need to work on my speed when I run laps,” Alex sighed. “I want to be faster.”

“I like Mister Olsen, he’s a good teacher,” Kara said. “Maybe your boobs would jiggle less if you hold them in your hands,” she said to Lena with a sympathetic smile.

“Well, there’s a thought,” Lena replied, chuckling as she shared a glance with Sam. “My hands would get tired though. If only someone else could hold them for me,” she hinted, hoping it wasn’t too direct. She could hear her friend giving her a mental thumbs up.

“That would mean someone would have to run backward in front of you or right behind you,” Kara said, frowning. “I don’t think that would be comfortable.”

“Yes, that would be…not ideal,” Lena agreed, regretting she even made that comment about her boobs. “You mentioned gym is in your top three. Which other two classes do you enjoy most?” she asked, although from what she knew about Kara so far she could take a wild guess. It was easy to detect in which classes her enthusiasm was the most present.

“Science and math,” Kara answered without missing a beat. “Those classes are the primary reason why I was able to skip a grade. It’s why I’m a senior, rather than a junior.”

“Sharing classes with my little sister is so much fun,” Alex said with a feigned smile.

“You’re only one year older,” Kara pointed out. “History is the main reason why I couldn’t skip more than one grade,” she sighed while Alex whispered, “thank god.”

“Science is one of my favorites as well,” Lena shared, glad they had that in common. They were almost the same age. Kara only had one year on her. “It’s unfortunate we only have science class periodically.”

Kara’s eyes lit up. Her lips curled into a smile.

Lena snapped a mental picture to cherish this moment. Many times she wanted to talk to Kara and get to know her better, but it wasn’t easy because she wasn’t good at making friends. Sam had been a stroke of luck, an unexpected gift.

“Speaking of science, I heard they’re about to give us a project to work on which will count for our final grade,” Sam said. “It’s going to be another one of those group projects. How about the four of us team up? We all love science.”

“Um… y-yeah,” Alex replied, nodding. “We’re the top of our class. We’ll ace it.”

Kara laughed as if she had an inside joke the others weren’t in on. “I’m in. I’m all for acing it.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex stared at her locker while she got changed into sweatpants and a loose black shirt. She heard rustling behind her as others got ready for gym as well, and some silent conversations. Crouching down to tie her shoes, she felt prepared to run a few laps.

“Can someone give me a hand?” Sam’s voice called out with a frustrated huff. “I think my necklace got stuck in my hair, and then my shirt.”

It was deadly silent. Alex slowly turned around. Her eyes went round when she realized the others had left. She was alone with Sam, whose face was covered by a shirt.

“Hello?” Sam said.

The sudden sound jolted Alex to the point where she knocked the back of her head into her locker. God, this day didn’t stop hating her. If she could sink into the floor right about now, that would be perfect.

“Oh good, someone’s here,” Sam said, wriggling her arms. “Do you think you can help me instead of standing there doing nothing?” she asked, voice bordering on irritation, sounding far less warm than Alex was used hearing her speak.

Alex nodded, which Sam couldn’t see. She hadn’t meant to make it seem as if she was mocking Sam. Her hands shook slightly as she reached out to help. She liked Sam’s sports bra. It looked comfortable. It was rude to stare, so she quickly snapped her eyes up, feeling around to detangle Sam’s necklace and her hair from her shirt.

“Thank you,” Sam breathed out, cheeks flushed. “Oh, Alex,” she said with surprise in her voice when she made eye-contact with Alex. The familiar warmth as she spoke was back. “I didn’t know you were still in here. You’re usually one of the first out the door.”

“I… my laces, shoelaces,” Alex replied, pointing down at her shoes.

Sam lowered her eyes for a second. “Well, I’m glad you were here to help a damsel in distress,” she said, squeezing Alex’s shoulder, winking.

“We all need to have a hobby,” Alex shrugged, her voice coming out stronger than she felt at how close she was standing to Sam. “Maybe being a lifesaver is mine.”

“I’ll remember that for next time I’m in distress.”

Alex opened her mouth to respond, but a loud bang on the door cut her off.

“Hurry up, ladies!” their gym teacher yelled from the other side of the door.

Alex cleared her throat. “Yes, Mister Olsen,” she replied, rushing to tie her shoes while Sam changed into a new shirt.

The other students were halfway into running their first lap. Kara ran ahead of them all with a smile on her face while Lena tailed behind everyone else.

Alex and Sam jogged to catch up.

Mister Olsen blew his whistle. “Don’t slack, ladies,” he said, staring in particular at Lena, Alex, and Sam.

Alex huffed because she wasn’t slow, she was warming up.

“I hate gym,” Lena muttered under her breath. “If he keeps blowing that whistle I’ll shove it where the sun doesn’t shine.”

Alex snorted. She didn’t know the Luthor girl was that passionate about her hatred for gym. The sound of that whistle was kind of annoying though, and she knew for a fact it hurt Kara’s ears. “Psst, Kara,” she whispered while she tried to run faster. “You need to slow down. You’re running too fast,” she warned extra quietly, and it was an understatement because she was one of the fastest runners in the entire school, and she could hardly keep up.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam tossed her backpack aside. She found her daughter in the living room in her bouncer seat with her stuffed rabbit clutched in her tiny fists. Ruby couldn’t sleep without her stuffy, or else the others didn’t get sleep either.

“Hey, Sam,” Reign’s girlfriend said from the kitchen. “How was school?”

“Same old, aside from that one moment during gym where I humiliated myself in front of a girl I like,” Sam answered, and while it was worth it, she still marked it down as an embarrassing moment.

“Been there, done that.”

“You’re still there. You still do that,” Sam corrected with a cheeky smile. “You can’t even keep your gay in check around my sister, Luce.”

“Rey caught me off guard with a new set of lingerie,” Lucy replied, waving a spatula into the air. “You can’t blame me for tripping over my feet.”

“Speaking of my sister, where is she?”

Lucy sighed. “She picked up a shift at the diner,” she answered, grabbing the salt shaker. “She won’t be joining us for dinner.”

Sam chewed her lip. She knew Reign and Lucy did their best to cover the bills, and the fact she moved in with a baby didn’t help. It was her fault her sister kept picking up extra shifts, overworking herself.

“Hey, don’t beat yourself up about it, okay?” Lucy said, catching Sam’s eye. “We’re all in this together.”

Sam pressed a quick kiss to her daughter’s forehead before wandering towards the kitchen to set the table. “How was your day?” she inquired, opening up the cupboard.

“I chased a burglar, rolled over the hood of a car at a red light, you know, same old fun stuff,” Lucy answered, shrugging a shoulder. “I got a souvenir,” she said, lifting her shirt to show off a bruise mapping right below her ribs.

Sam shook her head, smiling slightly. She knew Lucy thought it was badass, but she also knew Reign didn’t share that sentiment. Her sister always got worried when Lucy got hurt, no matter how small the bruise or the cut, or whichever other wound Lucy ended up having.

“You should put some cream on that,” Sam said when Lucy dropped her shirt. “There is some in the cabinet, in the bathroom.”

Sam was alarmed when Ruby started crying. She relaxed when she realized her daughter cried because she wanted her to hold her. “It’s okay,” she whispered, lifting Ruby into her arms. “Mommy’s got you,” she hushed, kissing the top of Ruby’s head, stroking her back. “Mommy’s here, my little angel.”

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star,” Sam sang, rocking her daughter gently in her arms. “How I wonder what you are.”

Ruby’s eyes began to droop. She yawned, one hand holding her stuffed rabbit while the other clutched Sam’s shirt.

Sam loved the hurricane right out of her daughter, replacing it with a sweet summer breeze because Ruby was her baby, and she loved her with a power mightier than any force in the universe. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her daughter, who, above all else, was the most important thing in her life.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Lena gazed out of the tinted windows as her driver pulled up the limousine on the driveway of the mansion where she lived. She was the only sixteen-year-old at her school who had all of that, for which most of her peers side-eyed her. The only reason she enrolled in a regular high school was because she wanted to be normal.

“Thank you, Winslow,” Lena said when he opened the door for her. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning?”

“Most definitely, Miss Luthor,” Winslow replied with a smile and a curtsy he always did as a joke.

Lena smiled back at him. Winslow was a young man, in his early twenties, and he was one of the few men who weren’t assholes. She flung her backpack over her shoulder, making her way inside of her house. The smell of quesadillas had her close her eyes for a moment as she inhaled the scent.

“Hola, niña,” the housekeeper said, smiling from where she poured a glass of water, setting it on the table.

“Hello, Rosita,” Lena replied, putting her backpack aside. “Dinner smells deli-” She faltered when she saw there was only one plate on the table. With a strained smile, she asked, “Where is mother?”

“Your mother left in a rush for a business trip, corazón,” Rosita answered, pulling the chair at the head of the table back, where Lena’s dinner awaited her.

Lena pushed her disappointment down. Her father passed away when she was ten, and her brother wound up in an asylum because he lost his mind a year later, and her mother was rarely ever home. “Oh,” she whispered, stalking towards the table. “I presume business is going well,” she said, lifting her chin up because a Luthor didn’t get emotional over such things.

“Has she said when she’d be back?” Lena inquired, playing it off as if her interest was feigned, though it was far from false. Not that having her mother around made much of a difference when Lillian’s affection was no warmer than diving into a pool of ice.

Growing up, Lena yearned for her mother’s affection, but she was always pushed aside, never good enough. Her mother never forgave her for the fact her father cheated on her with her biological mother, who came to pass when Lena was four years old, due to an illness. Lionel used to love her, made her his favorite, which made her mother’s resentment towards her grow, for she felt Lionel should have been warmer towards Lex. Lena once looked up to her big brother, but by now he was a troubled man.

Rosita gave Lena a pitied smile, the kind that meant Lena might not see her mother for a couple of weeks.

Little legs sprinted through the living room.

“Lena! Lena!”

Lena was caught off guard as a tiny body barreled into her. Small arms wound around her waist, hazel eyes blinked up at her, accompanied by the biggest smile.

“Ofelia, no,” Rosita said to her daughter. “You know the rules.”

“It’s alright, Rosita,” Lena cut in, caressing the cheek of her housekeeper’s six-year-old. “Mother isn’t here. I won’t tell if you don’t,” she reassured her with a wink. “It will be our little secret.”

Rosita wrung her hands together. Her hesitation was understandable, considering Lena’s mother snapped whenever Ofelia ran into a room, more so when the little girl hugged Lena.

Lena never knew why Ofelia was so drawn to hug her, but she did know she used to look at her brother the way the little girl looked at her. “Have you eaten?” she asked, glancing between Rosita and Ofelia. “I believe there is enough for the three of us. Can you grab two more plates?”

“You’re a saint, Magdalena,” Rosita said with a tender smile, tucking a lock of Lena’s hair behind her ear.

It was a rare gesture; one Lena only received when her mother wasn’t around. Her mother once caught Rosita hugging her, after which her mother threatened to fire her if she ever did that again. It happened after she came out when Rosita tried to comfort her as she was on the verge of tears.

“Hardly,” Lena disagreed, running a hand through Ofelia’s locks.

“Margarita moved in with us,” Ofelia told Lena, still beaming at her. “She’s my cousin. Her Mami and Papi didn’t want her any-”

“Ofelia!” Rosita said, voice laced with urgency and a silent warning.

Ofelia stared down at her feet. “Sorry, Mami,” she replied with a deep sigh, sagging her shoulders. “She goes to your school,” she told Lena.

Lena didn’t know anyone named Margarita, let alone anyone with a similar sounding name. It didn’t ring a bell, but unless Ofelia’s cousin was a senior, she couldn’t know her. She wondered if Rosita was capable of feeding another mouth, she knew the woman worked hard to make a living.

Ofelia gushed about the things she learned at school while they ate dinner.

Lena ignored the fact Ofelia didn’t close her mouth when she chewed her food, something her mother was allergic to, and she was taught from a young age to dine properly. She didn’t flinch in the slightest when Ofelia accidentally dropped bits of her food onto her lap, and onto the floor. Unlike her mother, she didn’t have it in her to snap at a child.

After dinner, Lena helped Rosita with the dishes, despite Rosita’s initial objection how it wasn’t her job. What her mother didn’t know couldn’t harm them.

“Can you help me with my homework, Lena?” Ofelia asked, frowning at a book she had in her hands.

Rosita reprimanded Ofelia in Spanish how Lena had homework to do as well, and that she shouldn’t bother her so much.

Lena did have homework, but it would only take her an hour at most to complete. She had no doubt Rosita was going to help her daughter later, but the woman had to be tired from working all day long.

“I don’t mind having a look if you don’t,” Lena said, careful about boundaries, knowing parents didn’t appreciate others meddling with their children. “What do you have?” she asked Ofelia after Rosita told her it was okay.

“Math,” Ofelia answered, scrunching up her nose.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It didn’t quite sink in for Alex she was going to the dance with Sam until rumors started spreading like rapid fire, all within twenty-four hours. Students stared at her as she walked through the halls. They had hushed conversations, but she caught a few words here and there when they spoke a tad too loud, almost as if they wanted her to hear.

The word lesbian stood out. They didn’t only say it about Alex. They said the same about Kara, Lena, and Sam. It wasn’t true. Lena was a lesbian, yes, she knew the Luthor girl was particularly vocal about that fact, but Sam was bisexual, and Kara was straight, just like Alex.

Four weeks until the dance. Alex could endure getting through it, could deal with the curious glances, questioning gazes, and the conversations her peers exchanged about her. She hoped this would all die down soon. Popularity never appealed to her, especially not when it came down to this. The part that sucked was how after the dance, the school didn’t end for another month.

Two months and then Alex could escape this zoo. She didn’t want to be the center of attention. God, she wasn’t a lesbian. The students spreading gossip because she was going to the dance with a girl didn’t even get their story straight. They were going as friends, not as each other’s date.

When lunchtime came around, Alex ducked into the bathroom. She turned on the faucet, cupped her hands under the stream of water, and splashed some in her face.

“Just ignore it,” Alex muttered to her reflection in the mirror. “They don’t know what they’re on about.”

Alex quieted down when she heard the door open, followed by someone walking in. She didn’t bother to look.

“The whole school seems to be buzzing about you.”

Alex rolled her eyes. She didn’t go into the bathroom to hear the things she heard in the halls. So what if she was going to the dance with Sam? It didn’t mean she was a lesbian. They were going as friends, why was that so hard for people to get into their thick skull? When she turned around, she paused at the familiar face.

“Tampon girl,” Alex recalled, slipping her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket with a sigh.

The girl gave a light shake of her head accompanied by a dimpled smile. “Whenever I’m not asking around if someone can spare a tampon, I tend to go by Maggie, in case you were wondering,” she informed Alex with a humored smile.

“I wasn’t,” Alex stated, not to be harsh, only to be honest. She realized a beat too late how rude that must have sounded when the girl’s eyebrows went up. “Are you new here? You don’t look familiar.”

“Are you sure? A moment ago you seemed to know me enough to give me a nickname.”

“Look at you, getting a tampon, and a nickname all in one,” Alex jested. “Must be your lucky day.”

“I moved here from Blue Springs.”

“In the last two months of the school year?” Alex asked, unable to hide her skepticism because that was weird. “What’d you do? Get expelled?”

The corners of Maggie’s mouth twitched. “Something like that,” she answered while her whole demeanor shifted. There was a forlorn look in her eyes, which made Alex want to go back in time to stuff a sock in her mouth.

“Okay then,” Alex whispered, awkwardly averting her eyes. “Which grade are you in?”

“You’re really going for those twenty questions, huh?” Maggie shot back with a grin, and if the dimples in her cheeks weren’t so damn cute, Alex would have walked out by now. “I’m a junior.”

“Seventeen-year-old guppy,” Alex noted with a nod.

“I take it this is a bad time to correct you and say my birthday isn’t for another three months.”

“Sixteen-year-old guppy it is,” Alex replied, surprised how easy it was to get along with this girl, who she barely knew.

“Sounds like an upgrade from tampon girl, so I’ll take it,” Maggie said, reaching for the door. “I’ll see you around, Danvers.”

Alex watched as the door shut behind Maggie. “I’ll see you, newbie,” she said, deciding it was time to go to the wildlife that was the school cafeteria.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam fumbled with the cap of her water bottle, bouncing her leg up and down slightly while her eyes flit around the cafeteria. Some students glanced her way, whispering things, while others glared at her as if she was garbage. She didn’t see the point in anyone making such a big deal out of girls going to the dance with each other.

“You’re not even drinking caffeine, and yet you’re jittery,” Lena said while she put a hand on Sam’s leg.

Sam sighed and placed her hand on top of Lena’s, not caring if anyone saw or not. Students gossiped either way. She didn’t need to go to the dance with a girl to be a pariah when she already became one last year after she got pregnant. Meanwhile, the guy she slept with got praised, but it didn’t matter because he didn’t go here anymore.

“They need to cut it out,” Sam grumbled under her breath. “I don’t want anyone to harass Alex, and I don’t want them bothering Kara or you either.”

“I can take it,” Lena replied, squeezing Sam’s hand, fingers laced together. “They can bite me for all I care.”

Sam smiled at her best friend’s attitude. Becoming friends with Lena was one of the best decisions she ever made in her life. Eight years and their friendship remained strong. “There she is,” she whispered when she saw Alex joining her sister for lunch. “I’ll be right back,” she said, freeing her fingers from Lena’s.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Lena advised, chuckling dryly when Sam gave her the finger.

Sam sauntered up to Alex’s table, noticing Kara nudged Alex’s side. “Hey, Alex,” she said, just as Alex glanced her way. “And Kara,” she added in an afterthought.

“Hey,” Kara chirped, ever the cheerful one.

“Sam,” Alex said, tucking her hair behind her ears. A smile played at her lips, but it vanished when her eyes moved around the room, at the students staring at them.

Sam realized she ought to make this quick. Alex looked uncomfortable, and she wasn’t helping. “I want to ask you something,” she informed Alex, lowering her voice. “Would you be okay with having dinner at my place tomorrow, to discuss a few things?”

Sam meant it as a date, but she didn’t want to make it overly obvious, so it seemed best to conceal it with a friendly invitation. Reign and Lucy knew she was going to ask Alex to come over tomorrow, and they were okay with it.

“Um…,” Alex said, eyes flickering towards her sister for a brief moment. “Dinner, tomorrow, your place,” she repeated. “Sure, sounds great. I mean, I’ll have to ask my parents, but…I have no doubt they’ll be okay with it, so yes. Dinner, your place, tomorrow.”

Sam bit back her initial response of saying it was a date. She also abandoned the urge of teasing Alex for how high-pitched her voice sounded. “Perfect, I’ll see you then,” she replied before walking back to her table where Lena’s questioning look awaited her.

“Well?” Lena inquired, raising a brow.

Sam sat down, leaned closer, and filled Lena in by whispering into her ear. She considered building a friendship with Alex was a start.

“How do you think she’ll react when she meets Ruby?”

It was a fair question. Sam knew one thing for sure. If Alex would react poorly, then her crush on Alex would disappear faster than snow in the sun. She was only interested in the possibility of dating someone if they accepted Ruby.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara lay down on her bed, elbows propped up, hands supporting her chin while she swung her legs back and forth as she paged through her book. She wanted to get a head start on her studies for her finals like her sister always did.

Alex walked in with a smile on her face. “They said yes,” she informed Kara. “I wonder what Sam wants to talk about.”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Kara replied, finding it kind of Sam that she invited her sister for dinner. It was a friendly gesture, something people did on Krypton with their friends, also. “Maybe she wants to talk about the dance.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Alex whispered with a quiet sigh. She plopped down on her bed, next to her opened book.

The dance reminded Kara she had to tell her sister something. Well, not had to, but she wanted her to know. “People are saying things because of the dance. Things that aren’t, ah, accurate.”

“Yes, exactly,” Alex agreed without missing a beat.

Kara closed her book. She couldn’t concentrate to study now anyway. “I’m not gay,” she voiced, though she believed that went without saying.

“I know,” Alex replied, sighing again, louder this time. “I’m not gay either.”

Kara opened and closed her mouth. She doubted that. But it wasn’t her place to tell Alex what she should or shouldn’t identify as, so if her sister said she wasn’t gay, then she wasn’t gay.

“We’re both straight,” Alex continued, nodding her head vehemently as if she needed to convince herself that was the truth.

Kara wasn’t straight though. She was asexual. Before she had the chance to bring it up, to come out as humans called it, Alex went on about the false rumors. Her sister appeared genuinely distressed others at school stared so much at her while calling her a lesbian, so she decided telling Alex could wait.

“They don’t get that it doesn’t mean anything. I’m not into girls,” Alex said, wringing her hands on her lap. “I just…haven’t met the right guy I guess. It’s not my fault the guys at our school are immature jerks, and I’m only eighteen. You’re only seventeen. Not going to the dance with a guy as our date doesn’t mean we’re lesbians,” she rushed out in one breath.

“Kara,” Alex whispered, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.

“Yes, Alex?”

Alex released her lip. “Did you suggest us going to the dance with Lena and Sam because you wanted to go with Lena?” she asked, voicing it as if she was on to something.

Kara didn’t see that one coming. She did it for her sister because Sam liked Alex, and she was almost positively sure it was mutual. Oh, Rao, she was at a loss for words. How could she possibly explain the truth without upsetting her sister?

“It’s not what you think,” Kara tried while she boggled her mind to come up with the right words to say.

Alex smiled. “You don’t have to explain,” she said, hugging Kara. 

Kara returned the hug. Now didn’t seem like a good time to come out. Rao, she thought this would be easier.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Lena walked through the hall after the final bell rang. She gave Sam a small smile as her best friend whisked Alex’s hand out of the crowd to escort her to her car. Before Sam could look away, she mouthed a quick, “behave.”

Sam winked, and then she left.

Halfway across the schoolyard, Lena spotted Kara. She noticed the youngest Danvers didn’t walk to a car. It was unclear how far away Kara lived from their school, though she usually saw her arrive and leave with her sister, not that she paid that much attention to Kara.

“Kara, wait up!” Lena called out, jogging after Kara before she could think better of it, and if she thought Kara didn’t hear her, she was wrong. “Oh gosh,” she whispered, feeling a little mortified when she bumped into Kara, who had stopped walking.

Kara’s smile was nothing short of radiant. “Hey, Lena,” she said, pushing her glasses higher up the bridge of her nose. “Is everything alright?” she asked, eyebrows creasing together.

“Yes, yes definitely,” Lena answered, confused as to why Kara would think otherwise unless her heart beat so fast it was visible.

Kara’s smile dimmed minutely, but it didn’t slip away. She adjusted the strap of her backpack while she stared at Lena. “Um, did you, ah, need something?” she asked, peering around.

God, Lena was an idiot. She didn’t mean to stall Kara, who was probably eager to get home. “I was wondering if you’d like a ride home?” she offered, gesturing towards where her driver waited.

Kara followed the line of Lena’s finger. “Oh…R-God,” she whispered, eyes widening behind her glasses. “A ride? In a limousine?”

Lena nodded. “If you don’t mind,” she added, aware some students were uncomfortable being near her. Some of her peers thought she was going to lose her mind as her brother did. Kara was going to the dance with her, but that was only as friends, which was a miracle in itself.

“Wool!” Kara exclaimed, groaning at Lena’s chuckle.

A smile tugged at Lena’s lips. “Wool?” she inquired, walking towards her limousine with Kara.

“I was going to say wicked, but then I wanted to say cool, so I kind of, um, smashed them together?”

“Sounds wool,” Lena replied, unable to resist, stumbling a step when Kara gave her a light push.

Kara reached out to grab Lena’s arm with an alarmed look on her face. “I didn’t mean to push you that hard,” she said, grimacing.

“You didn’t. You caught me off guard, that’s all,” Lena assured Kara with a sweet smile. It confused her why Kara seemed panicked she might have pushed too hard. She didn’t fall.

“Good afternoon, Miss Luthor,” Winslow said, tipping his hat. “And the guest of Miss Luthor.”

“Good afternoon, sir,” Kara replied, reaching out a hand to shake his, frowning when Lena snorted. “My name is Kara Danvers.”

“I’m Winslow, at your service,” Winslow shared with a curtsy. “Despite my name, I’m not slow. I’m a fast driver. A safe, fast driver, of course. Safety first, yes, ma’am, miss.”

Lena gave her driver a slight shake of her head at his shenanigans. “I got it,” she said, opening the door for Kara, throwing Winslow an urgent look not to comment.

Kara gasped while she eyed the interior of the limousine. Two leather seats faced each other. There was a stocked mini-bar. The window separating them from the driver had tinted glasses and was rolled up. She sat down in the middle, still looking around as Lena sat down next to her.

Lena observed Kara, sensing she was impressed by all of this. That wasn’t why she offered Kara a ride though. She knocked on the window until her driver rolled it down. “What’s your address?” she asked Kara.

“Oh, right,” Kara said, snapping her eyes towards Winslow.

Lena’s jaw dropped when she heard her driver say it was a twenty-minute drive, at least, if the traffic swung their way.

“What?” Kara asked when she caught Lena’s expression.

“Were you seriously going to walk home?” Lena questioned, perplexed when Kara nodded and smiled. “Jesus, Kara,” she whispered, glad Kara allowed her to take her home.

“Walking is healthy.”

“So is avoiding blisters,” Lena pointed out, and god, Kara’s smile made her heart go boom.

“I’m not worried about blisters,” Kara said, unzipping her backpack, taking out notes. “I’ve never had any.”

Lena caught a glimpse of the notes in Kara’s hand. She liked how Kara drew circles above her I’s rather than dotting them. People who did that were considered artistic and playful. The doodle at the bottom of the page was cute and reminded her of a cat.

Lena glanced away when Kara noticed her staring. “What did you think of our science class today?” she asked, suddenly finding her nails interesting. She ought to cut them. They were growing a little long for her liking.

“I loved how Miss Ardeen showed us a particle accelerator. Her explanation how it uses electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles to nearly light speed and to contain them in well-defined beams was quite interesting, though if I’m being honest, I already knew before she taught it to us. Back on K-, erm, another school I went to I was what you’d call a science major.”

Lena found it particularly unusual Kara majored in science in what must have been middle school, considering they both had been going to the same high school since they were freshmen when she was twelve and Kara was thirteen. It was impressive and not the least bit surprising Kara skipped a grade. She could tell Kara was a clever girl. The fact she skipped two classes didn’t make her more intelligent than Kara.

In fact, she dared to bet Kara was smarter than her. Lena also knew what Miss Ardeen taught them today, but not since middle school. “She’s a wonderful teacher,” she said, to which Kara nodded excessively.

“She really is. She speaks with a lot of passion,” Kara agreed, lighting up. “Last year she gave me a bunch of books. She even let me keep them.”

Lena smiled. “She did the same for me. It was generous of her,” she replied, although at times she worried Miss Ardeen wrongly presumed science class didn’t spark her mind because she knew well over three-quarters of what Miss Ardeen taught.

“The woman is a visionary,” Lena added. “By the way, have you given any thought to what you’d like to do for our science project?”

“Um… no,” Kara answered, making a face. “Miss Ardeen hasn’t announced it yet, so I’m not sure if we’ll get to pair up, the four of us; Alex, Sam, you, and me.”

Lena had to admit Kara made a valid point.

They spoke more of science during the remainder of the ride. When they arrived at the Danvers’ house, their conversation abruptly came to an end, which Lena found a pity because Kara’s company was enjoyable. She didn’t realize nearly half an hour had gone by. Time flew.

“Bye, Lena,” Kara said while she reached out to unlock the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow at school. Thanks for the ride.”

“Kara,” Lena spoke up before Kara could get out.

Kara turned around. “Yes, Lena?”

“Would you like to come over to my place tomorrow? My mother isn’t home and – wait, that didn’t sound right. What I meant to ask is if you’d like to have dinner with me tomorrow so we could watch a movie, as friends? I’ll have my driver take you home afterward, of course.”

Lena hoped it wasn’t too straightforward. Friends watched movies together sometimes. In the past, she occasionally spent time with Sam that way, whenever her mother was gone for long periods of time at once. She tended to get lonely when she was home.

“Dinner and a movie sound great,” Kara answered, smiling. “I’ll ask Eliza and Jeremiah if you don’t mind waiting a minute.”

“Who?”

“Eliza and Jeremiah,” Kara repeated. “My adoptive parents.”

Lena blinked. “Oh, I…I didn’t know,” she replied, surprised to learn they were both adopted, though in her case her father turned out to be her biological father.

“It’s okay. You couldn’t have.”

Lena waited while Kara ran inside the house to ask her parents for permission. Her stomach twisted into knots when seconds later, two adults came outside. She considered telling Winslow to drive, to get out of here while they still could. She wasn’t good at interacting with adults. Even when it came to Sam, she never quite interacted with her foster mother, but she did communicate with Reign and Lucy, who were kind.

The brief conversation which followed after Kara introduced Lena to her parents, and vice versa felt tense for Lena. Eliza and Jeremiah both seemed warm people with a genuine smile, but from the way they questioned which time she would get Kara home tomorrow, Lena had a feeling they thought she asked Kara to have a date night with her.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex took deep breaths to ease her nerves as she entered the duplex where Sam lived. During their drive here, they didn’t talk much, though Sam did ask if she looked forward to the dance. Their ride got a tad awkward when Sam brought up the rumor mill. Sam wanted to know if it bothered her, to which she wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t want to make it seem as if she was offended their peers thought she was a lesbian while she wasn’t.

It wasn’t something that repulsed her or anything like that. Alex didn’t want Sam to feel as if she didn’t want to be friends just because Sam was bisexual. Someone’s sexuality didn’t matter to build a friendship. She supported equality, and she considered herself an ally.

Alex followed Sam into the kitchen. The scent of sweet potatoes hung heavily in the air. She spotted Ruby fairly quickly in a bouncer seat in the living room. The adorable baby girl appeared fascinated by a rattle which she kept shaking.

“This is my older sister. She likes to go by Reign, but I usually call her Rey,” Sam introduced, gesturing at the young woman who was cooking, though with the obvious similarities between Reign and Sam, it went without saying they were sisters.

Alex was surprised Sam and Reign weren’t twins because if they had told her they were, she would have believed them, no doubt. “Hi, I’m Alex,” she said to Reign, adding a small smile.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Reign replied, smiling back. “My sister mentioned you’re going to the dance together.”

“Yes, we are,” Alex confirmed, running a hand through her hair. “As friends,” she blurted out, feeling the sudden urge to bite off her tongue and swallow it when Reign shared an unreadable look with Sam. She made that sound far too panicked as if going to the dance with Sam was a bad thing, which it wasn’t.

Sam cleared her throat, to which Reign turned her attention back to the food. “Would you like something to drink?” she asked Alex. “We have lemonade, water, and other things.”

“Lemonade,” Alex answered with a nod. “You must be a mind reader. I’ve been thirsty since we left school,” she said matter-of-factly because her mouth was dry.

“Perhaps I know how to read people,” Sam winked.

“You might get lost in my head,” Alex replied with a chuckle, thinking what a maze her thoughts were at times.

“More like in your eyes,” Sam mumbled, so quietly Alex wasn’t sure if she heard her right.

Alex took a seat at the table after Sam nodded her head in its general direction. “Thanks,” she said when Sam handed her a can of lemonade. She wondered if it was true Sam had a romantic interest in her, or if that was nothing more but false gossip. It wouldn’t be the first time students didn’t get the facts straight.

A petite young woman walked in. She couldn’t be much older than Sam, close to Reign’s age probably. Her skin was beautifully tanned, and her hair was longer than Sam’s but shorter than Reign’s.

“This is Lucy,” Sam said, putting another can of lemonade onto the table

“Is she your sister, too?” Alex asked, taking a sip of her drink.

Sam chuckled. “No,” she answered, and Alex didn’t understand why that was so funny. “She’s Rey’s girlfriend.”

Alex choked on her soda. She didn’t see that one coming. Jesus, she had to relax. Lucy was without a doubt Reign’s girlfriend alright, that much was clear when they kissed. Meanwhile, she coughed to get the bits of liquid out of her lungs.

Sam frowned. “Everything okay?” she asked, staring at Alex, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“Y-yeah, I’m fi-fine,” Alex answered, pounding her fist against her chest. “Wrong pipe, that’s all.”

“You poor thing,” Sam said, lowering her hand to rub Alex’s back.

If that gesture was supposed to be helpful, it really wasn’t. Alex felt like she might choke all over again. God, what was wrong with her? The contact was nice though. She fought the urge to close her eyes at the soothing feeling, to avoid appearing weird.

Sam withdrew her hand when Ruby whined. “I’m here, baby girl,” she said, rushing towards her daughter. “You want mommy’s attention, hm?” she hummed, scooping up Ruby. “She loves to be held,” she told Alex.

Alex couldn’t help but smile. “She’s adorable,” she replied, doing a little wave with her fingers. Her heart melted into a puddle on the floor when Ruby smiled back at her. “Can I hold her for a little bit?” she asked, voicing her question carefully. “I love kids. They have a way of tugging at your heartstrings,” she sighed softly. “Unless she’s not fond of strangers,” she added, eyes widening. “I wouldn’t want to upset-”

“Alex,” Sam interrupted with a light laugh. “Relax, it’s fine. You can hold her. Just make sure you support her head.”

Alex nodded. She held out her arms, and when Sam placed Ruby in them, she was a goner for sure. Sam’s daughter was the most adorable baby girl she ever saw in her life. “Heyyy, baby,” she cooed, smiling down at the cutiepie. “You have your mother’s gorgeous eyes.”

“Does she now?” Sam asked with a cheeky smile, leaning onto the table.

Alex cheeks heated up. God, she couldn’t believe she said that aloud, but it was true. Ruby’s father was a moron for walking away from his daughter and from the breathtakingly beautiful girl Sam was. Only a true fool would let something like that go.  

“Rubes is a ladies magnet,” Lucy said, caressing Ruby’s cheek. “She might get Sam off the market just yet.”

“I hate you,” Sam mumbled to Lucy, narrowing her eyes at her, though she smiled.

“I think Lucy is on to something,” Alex spoke up, surprising herself with her sudden surge of confidence. She doubted Sam needed Ruby to draw interest when Sam was more than a ladies magnet either way.

“You can call me Luce,” Lucy said to Alex. “And hel-hello yes, I am.”

“Hello, really?” Sam commented with a shake of her head. “You and your mouth,” she sighed.

“Rey never complains about my mouth,” Lucy replied, grinning while Sam pretended to gag. “Right, babe?” she asked, grasping Reign’s hand.

“Don’t pay them any mind,” Sam said to Alex. “They don’t know how to behave when we have a guest.”

“Guest, huh?” Lucy interrupted. “Is that what they call da-”

Sam muffled Lucy with her hand while Reign told both of them to cut it out.

Alex found their shenanigans humoring. This household was crazy, in a good way. She was glad Sam lived surrounded by Lucy, and Reign, and Ruby, of course. It was horrible Sam’s foster mother made her leave after Sam got pregnant. She couldn’t imagine the kind of blow it must have been for Sam she didn’t get any support from her baby’s daddy, and her mother.

Ruby wrapped one of her chubby little hands around Alex’s finger.

“Who is the cutest baby in the world? You are,” Alex cooed. It was impossible not to adore Ruby. She made faces, reveling at how she managed to make Ruby smile.

The fact Sam observed her didn’t strike Alex until she gazed up, and made eye-contact with her. Sam’s tender, genuine smile did something to her she couldn’t quite explain. Her eyes dipped down to Sam’s lips, and when Sam bit her lower lip, she forgot what breathing was.

Alex realized with a start Sam caught her staring. God, that was so embarrassing. Her heart slowed when Sam didn’t say anything. She followed her with her eyes while Sam set the table. Something funny – in a not laughable type of way – was going on with her. She felt like she wanted to kiss Sam, but that couldn’t be right because she was straight, always had been.

Straight like – Alex gulped when Sam’s tongue darted out of her mouth to moisturize her lips – like a broken arrow or something because what the fuck?

 


	5. Chapter 5

Kara was going to do it, tonight. She alternated between pacing around her bedroom, studying bits and pieces for her finals, listening to music, and peering out of the window while she waited for her sister to come home. She hoped Alex was having a good time at her friendly dinner with Sam.

Thinking about that made her remember Lena asked her to eat dinner at her place tomorrow, and watch a movie. Kara wondered which kind of films Lena liked. She wasn’t too picky, though comedy was hands down her favorite because who didn’t like a good laugh? Disney was another favorite, due to the magical touch it had.

Romantic movies tended to become cliché fast, although Kara did enjoy seeing people getting happy endings. Dramatic ones made her cry, and scary films sometimes made her hide under a blanket. Action flicks were at times too violent for her taste. She especially loathed how much louder the volume became during fight scenes, which triggered a sensory overload.

Food-wise, Kara considered herself easy going. Anything green did make her scrunch up her nose though. Salad was okay if it was on a burger, and if the flavor of it wasn’t overwhelming, so thick paddings of it were out of the question. Every other green vegetable from peas, to sprouts, and everything else, was icky. Odds were Lena would order pizza, after all, Lena mentioned her mother wasn’t home, and it was standard food for students who hung out.

Then again, Lena had a driver, so for all Kara knew, Lena had a chef in her kitchen at home. That would be cool though. She had no idea what Lena’s place looked like. Maybe it was like the house in Princess Diaries. Ever since she saw the second movie, she had wanted to slide down the stairs with a mattress, which the Danvers family did not agree with. Otherwise, she would have done it already.

Footsteps jogged up the stairs, then padded through the hall until the bedroom door was opened, and Alex swam into view. She put her backpack down and shut the door.

“Alex, there you are!” Kara exclaimed, shoulders sagging. “Thank Rao.”

Alex frowned. She immediately walked up to Kara, hugging her. “What’s wrong?”

Kara smiled and hugged her sister a little bit tighter, careful not to crush her. “It’s not like that,” she answered, taking a step back. She bit her lip and grasped Alex’s hand. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you because I just… I need to get it off of my chest.”

“O-okay,” Alex replied, blinking. She ran her thumb over the back of Kara’s hand. “I’m here. I’m listening,” she said, sitting down on Kara’s bed.

Kara sat down next to her sister, fidgeting with her glasses. She wasn’t nervous per se, though if she was honest, she was worried about how Alex might react to what she had to say. It would genuinely hurt if her sister responded poorly, although she was confident Alex accepted her just the way she was.

Despite that confidence, a lump formed in Kara’s throat. “Rao, why is this so hard?” she wondered silently. “Okay. Okay, I can do this,” she said, taking a few deep breaths.

“You can tell me anything, Kara,” Alex whispered, grasping Kara’s hand, squeezing.

Kara nodded. She knew she could. “You were wrong when you said we’re both straight,” she revealed, noticing how Alex’s eyes widened for a second before her sister composed herself. “I’m asexual.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Alex replied, shifting to face Kara better. “You’re what?”

“Asexual,” Kara repeated, so glad she finally got that out. “It means I’m not sexually attracted to anyone. I never will be. When other people say they’d love to get naked with someone and that they want to be intimate with them, like, you know… sex,” she explained with a grimace, scrunching up her nose. “I don’t get that. The idea of doing _that_ is repulsive to me because I’m a sex-repulsed asexual. That’s why I’ve been so grossed out about how many students try to hook up with someone during the dance. I don’t want to get into anyone’s pants. I want everyone to keep their pants on.”

“I can see when people are aesthetically pleasing because I’m not blind,” Kara went on, now that she was finally putting it out in the open. “And I might find myself romantically interested in someone, but not sexually. I don’t want to get naked with anyone, ever, not like that. I don’t want kisses or touches that go too far. It’s different for each asexual because some asexuals do want more despite the lack of a sexual attraction, due to libido or other reasons, but I don’t.”

"It’s not because I’m too young or because I haven’t found the right person,” Kara added. “This is me. This is who I am. I’m always going to be like this. It’s not a phase. I took a long time thinking this through, figuring this all out. I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while now, but I never found the right time, and tonight I realized I just had to grab the moment and go for it. I’m not broken, and I don’t need medication to fix this because it’s not an illness. I’m asexual.”

Alex was silent until Kara finished her ramble. “Kara,” she started with a deep sigh. “I would never tell you it’s a phase or any of those other things. Nobody knows you better than you know yourself. I’m so proud of you for working up the courage to tell me, to share all of this with me. I’ll be honest that I’m surprised by this sudden revelation, but I don’t love you any less. It’s okay you’re asexual. Plus, I won’t have to worry my little sister might end up getting pregnant, so phew, one job less for me.”

“Alex!” Kara guffawed, smacking her sister with a pillow. Both of them laughed for a moment. “You’re not wrong, but, oh, Rao,” she groaned.

Alex smiled. “Too soon to say such things?” she asked, snaking an arm around Kara’s waist.

“No, this is okay,” Kara answered, pulling Alex into a sideways hug. “I love you, too, by the way.”

Kara felt surprisingly lighter than she did before Alex came home. “How was your dinner with Sam?” she asked with a smile, eager to hear all about if Alex had fun with their new friend or not.

Alex’s cheeks reddened while she ducked her head. “It was nice. Her sister is kind, and her sister’s girlfriend is a tease. And Ruby, god, she’s so adorable. You should have seen her. Sam allowed me to hold her for a while. Suddenly, I want to have a dozen babies.”

“Shhh,” Kara whispered, placing a finger against her lips, giggling. “Don’t let Eliza hear you or she’ll never let you leave the house again. It’s good to know that you’ll have enough babies for the both of us,” she said, purely to get back at her sister for commenting she didn’t have to worry about her getting pregnant.

Alex huffed. “There’s more than one way to have babies, you know,” she pointed out.

“Genesis chamber,” Kara said with a nod, smiling at her sister’s confusion. “Earthlings don’t have that kind of science.”

“Last time I checked you living on earth makes you an earthling, too, you goofy alien.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam filled her daughter’s small bathtub, checking with the thermometer if the water wasn’t too warm. Her thoughts were stuck on Alex. Since she had Alex over for dinner last night, her crush got worse. She could genuinely see herself fall for Alex, who was deep in the closet. It was obvious Alex was gay. She sensed it, and even her sister and Lucy noticed.

“Time for your bath, baby girl,” Sam said as she lifted Ruby onto the changing pad. “Alex thinks we have gorgeous eyes. She’s really sweet, hm? You made a good impression with your adorable cuteness.”

Ruby drooled a bit while Sam undressed her.

“Who could ever resist such a cute little face,” Sam whispered.

Ruby squealed when Sam blew a raspberry on her tummy. She kicked her chubby legs, cooing when Sam lifted her into her tub, where she wasted no time splashing the water.

“Thanks, you sure saved me a shower,” Sam chuckled, glancing down at her now wet shirt.

Reign yawned as she walked in. “Good morning,” she said, tying her robe around her waist.

“Good morning,” Sam replied, staring suspiciously at her sister’s bare legs. “Please tell me you’re not naked underneath your robe,” she said, shaking her head when Reign smirked. “You perv, put some clothes on.”

“Now, now, that’s no way for you to talk to your superiors,” Lucy said to Sam as she trailed behind Reign, wearing a robe as well.

“Superiors?” Sam snorted. “Go fish,” she scoffed, snapping her attention back to Ruby.

“Good morning to you, too. Did you have any dreams about that girlfriend of yours?”

“Morning, a-hole.”

“Language,” Reign said with a gasp.

“Hey now,” Lucy protested. “I make a genuine effort not to curse around the kid, and that’s what I get?”

Sam shot Lucy a pointed look. “You call hel-hello yes an effort? And you know Alex isn’t my girlfriend, but thanks for reminding me.”

“Play nice you two,” Reign warned, wrapping her arms around Lucy’s waist from behind. “Stop picking on my baby sister.”

Lucy turned around. “Whose side are you on, babe?” she asked, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss Reign.

“And I’m not your baby sister,” Sam said to Reign, rolling her eyes. “You only have four years on me, and everyone thinks we’re twins.”

Sam ignored the kissing sounds her sister and Lucy made while she finished bathing her daughter. She ought to hurry if she wanted to grab a bite to eat before going to school. The alarm on her phone rang, signaling she had twenty minutes left before she had to leave, but she didn’t get dressed yet. She hoped this wouldn’t be one of those mornings where she had to sprint out of the door with a sandwich in her mouth, and a shoe in one hand while she hopped around with the other on her foot.

Lucy caught Reign’s wrist when Reign moved to take over from Sam. “Babe,” she said with a shake of her head. “I know you. If you don’t eat now, you’ll skip breakfast, again. You have work in half an hour.”

Sam knew her sister wasn’t always able to help, and in the end, Ruby was her responsibility. She couldn’t always fall back onto Reign and Lucy when she ran out of time. One way or another, she had to make it work, and learn how to juggle school with raising a child.

It turned out to be one of those mornings where Sam texted Lena if she could give her a ride so she could get changed in the limousine, and eat breakfast, considering she lacked time to do either. If she had to waste ten to fifteen minutes on getting dressed, and eating, she would be late for school. She knew this also meant Lena had to give her a ride home later today. At least Lucy was going to drop off Ruby at the daycare on her way to work, so that was taken care of.

“Roll up the window, Winslow,” Lena said while Sam got into the limousine in her pajamas. “One of those hectic days?”

“I should’ve gotten up earlier,” Sam sighed. She shut the door and glanced at the window, which was now rolled up, so she had some privacy. Those tinted windows came in handy. “Can you give me a hand with my bra?” she asked, lifting her top over her head.

“Oh sure, flash me, why don’t you?”

“You’ve seen me naked before,” Sam replied, sliding her arms into the straps of her bra. “If you need a minute to ease your gay, you get ten seconds.”

Lena laughed. “Bitch,” she said, voice laced with affection. She clasped Sam’s bra, tapping her shoulder when she got it. “How did your dinner with Alex go?”

Sam pulled her shirt over her head and wriggled her legs into her pants. “I get the vibe she might be into me, but it’s hard to say for sure if I’m reading this all wrong or not. I came on too strong before, and I don’t want to scare her off. You have no idea the torture I had to endure to behave, especially when she kept staring at my lips.”

“Okay, she digs you. I’m calling it. Maybe you should flash her next.”

“Oh, but I’m the bitch here?”

“Well, this bitch is giving you a ride.”

“Hm, true,” Sam admitted, putting on socks. “Thanks for that, by the way. I’d have used my own car, but getting changed and driving at the same time doesn’t go hand in hand, and unlike you, I don’t have the luxury of tinted windows.”

“Feel free to get changed in my limousine any time,” Lena said with a wink and a smirk. “I must say I enjoyed the show.”

“Sometimes I don’t know why we’re best friends, Lee,” Sam grinned.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex dashed into the bathroom before going to the cafeteria, but this time it was because she had to pee. When she exited the stall and went to wash her hands, she saw a familiar face.

“Hiding in the bathroom again, Danvers?”

“I wasn’t hiding,” Alex replied, rinsing her hands. “Do you have a last name, Maggie?”

“Don’t we all?”

“Okay, tampon girl it is,” Alex said with a shrug, drying her hands while Maggie gave her that precious dimpled smile. God, that girl was going places someday with that smile alone.

“Alright, you win,” Maggie declared. “It’s Sawyer. Maggie Sawyer.”

“Sawyer spying on me, hm?”

“Maybe your presence is infectious, Damnvers,” Maggie replied, and okay, fair enough, two could play that game.

While Alex was kidding about the whole spying thing, they did appear to keep running into each other, here in the bathroom. “Hey, newbie,” she said before she headed out. “Would you like to sit at my table for lunch? It’s just me, my sister, Sam, and Lena. They’re all chill.”

“I thought a senior was too cool to be seen hanging out with a junior, or so I’ve heard.”

“People are idiots,” Alex huffed, not caring about such things. “My sister would have been a junior if she didn’t skip a grade.”

Alex walked into the cafeteria with Maggie, conversing while they got their lunch. She thought of passing by the table where Sam always sat at with Lena, but it looked like Kara beat her to it, and had already invited Sam and Lena to sit with them.

“Hey,” Alex said, putting her tray down across from Sam, almost tripping over her feet when Sam smiled at her. “This is Maggie. She’s new here.”

“Hi,” Kara said to Maggie with a smile. “I’m Kara, Alex’s sister.”

“I can be your tour guide to show you around Midvale,” Alex offered Maggie. “I’m familiar with all of the good places.”

“Gee thanks, Danvers,” Maggie replied, throwing a smile Alex’s way. “If I can do something in return, I will.”

“Well, now that you mention it, there is something,” Alex said, letting her eyes travel for a brief moment. “You could tell me where you got that flannel shirt of yours.”

Maggie smiled and pointed at her shirt. “This old thing?”

Alex shrugged. “It looks good on you,” she replied, appreciating Maggie’s clothing style.

“Alex is right,” Sam chimed in. “Maggie, was it?” she asked Maggie, crossing her arms over her chest. “Where did you suddenly appear from?”

Maggie looked at Sam, then glanced at Alex, and flit her eyes back to Sam. “Blue Springs,” she answered, clearing her throat. “I moved in with my aunt recently.”

Sam opened her mouth to respond, but she was cut off by Lena knocking over her drink. “Aw come on, Lee,” she complained with a moan.

“Sorry, Sam. I got distracted,” Lena sighed, grasping napkins, dabbing at the mess.

Alex noticed they didn’t have enough paper tissues, and the soda was going to drip over the edge of the table, which would stain Sam’s clothes. It was as if Lena knocked it over on purpose to shut Sam up, but she probably saw that wrong, and she shouldn’t read into it.

Alex rummaged through her backpack, pulling out a pack of tissues. When she reached out to help clean up the mess, her fingers brushed with Sam’s. “Ah, here,” she said, offering a napkin to Sam, seeing hers were soaked.

Sam’s fingertips slid down the palm of Alex’s hand as she took the tissue from her. “Thanks. I should treat you to dinner again sometime,” she replied with a wink.

“Anytime is good,” Alex blurted out, cheeks tinged red. “Though it’s probably my time to eat- treat, to treat you,” she uttered, dying on the inside at her slip up. God, something was seriously wrong with her. She could hardly think straight.

Alex saw how Kara was suddenly interested in chugging her water while Lena looked like she was trying not to burst out laughing if the glint in her eyes was any sign of that. Sam stared with parted lips, and Maggie grinned.

Lena gave Sam a slight shake of her head in a way that was just not subtle enough.

Sam licked her lips. “How about Saturday?” she asked Alex, putting the wet tissues on the side of her tray. “I’ll give you my number. If you give me yours, I’ll text you the details.”

Alex wondered if Sam asked her on a date or if she meant it as friends, but she didn’t want to ask, especially not here in the school cafeteria.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Lena pleaded Sam with her eyes to behave as they got into her limousine with Kara. She didn’t ask Kara out on a date. It was dinner and a movie, as friends, nothing more. She was tempted to let her best friend walk home rather than giving her a ride, but unfortunately, she loved that bitch, so she was stuck with her.

“Kara, can I ask you something?” Sam asked while she winked at Lena.

“Sure,” Kara answered, shifting her gaze from staring out of the window to Sam.

Lena was able to breathe when Sam questioned Kara about which food Alex liked best, and things like that. For a moment she thought Sam wasn’t going to resist teasing her by asking Kara things she shouldn’t. She didn’t say much on their drive to her best friend’s place. Not that she could even if she wanted to, considering Kara gave Sam a ramble about what Alex liked. It was endearing hearing Kara talk, and damn, she could say a lot in one breath.

Lena figured Kara had a powerful set of lungs. Her voice was lovely. She didn’t mind listening to Kara talk one bit. The way Kara added her hands to make gestures while she spoke made her all the more adorable. Kara wasn’t like any of the other girls, and that was why Lena liked her so much. She remembered what a dork Kara was back in their freshman year, how Kara said things to the teachers during class without raising her hand or without getting a turn to talk. Back then, Kara told the teachers she didn’t know that was a thing.

Lena found it sad how many students called Kara a weirdo, or worse, especially during the first two years of high school. It had gotten better by now, though from time to time she caught people glancing at Kara as if she didn’t belong. She had wanted to be friends with Kara three and a half years ago, but she was shy when she was younger, and she always saw Kara sticking close to her sister.

“Bye,” Lena said when they dropped off Sam. “Finally,” she breathed out with a smile.

“Hey, I heard that,” Sam replied, flipping Lena off, waving her a kiss goodbye. “See you tomorrow.”

“Don’t be late tomorrow.”

Sam grinned. “I thought you liked the show,” she reminded Lena with a wink.

“What show?” Kara asked when the car moved again to go to Lena’s house.

Lena gulped. “Oh, nothing,” she answered with an awkward laugh.

It wasn’t that Lena didn’t want to tell Kara about how Sam got dressed in her limousine this morning, but she didn’t want her to know to avoid giving Kara the wrong impression. Her friendship with Sam was special. They were close, though unlike what some people at school believed, they never dated, and they never would. Her best friend was like the sister she never had and always wanted to have.

Kara gasped when they arrived at the mansion where Lena lived. “Oh, Rao, are you a princess or something? This place is huge!” she said, gaping as they walked up to the door.

Lena wondered who Rao was. If it was some kind of god, she had never heard of them. “As much as blue is my favorite color, I don’t have blue blood,” she replied while she opened the door to let Kara enter.

A crinkle appeared between Kara’s eyebrows. “I don’t understand,” she sighed, fumbling with her glasses. “Are you telling me you want your blood to be blue instead of red? Is that a stupid question?”

Lena smiled. “It’s not a dumb question at all,” she assured Kara, touched by her cute obliviousness, which wasn’t something she would ever mock Kara about. “Some people say people of noble blood, such as royalty, have blue blood, hypothetically speaking.”

“Oh,” Kara whispered, lowering her hand as she stopped fidgeting with her glasses. “Oh! You were kidding about the blood thing.”

“I’m very unfunny, I know.”

“That’s not what… I didn’t mean to… I,” Kara stammered, eyes wide.

“It’s okay, Kara. Don’t sweat it,” Lena replied while she closed the door. “Everything is wool.”

“Leeenaaaa,” Kara whined. “You know I meant to say wicked and cool. It’s not my fault I got tongue-tied.”

“Oh, of course, it must have been mine.”

“Now you’re catching on,” Kara said, chuckling while Lena gasped.

Lena shook her head with a humored smile in disbelief at Kara teasing her. Inviting Kara over to her place was one of the best ideas she had in a long time. “Hello, Rosita,” she called out. “Kara, this is Rosita. She cooks delicious food which will make your mouth water.”

“You give me too much credit, corazón,” Rosita said to Lena.

“I do no such thing,” Lena disagreed. “Rosita, this is Kara, my friend.”

“Hi,” Kara said to Rosita, holding out a hand. “It’s nice to meet you. The food smells amazing.”

“Hola, cariño,” Rosita replied while she shook Kara’s hand. “It is lovely to meet you, too. And, gracias.”

“She called you-”

“Sweetie, I know,” Kara interrupted Lena. “And she thanked me.”

“Yes,” Lena confirmed, blinking her eyes. “I didn’t know you speak Spanish.”

“I’m a polyglot. I speak many languages.”

Lena was impressed by just how smart Kara was. She knew Kara had a knack for gym, math, and science in particular, but she had no idea Kara was fluent in multiple languages on top of all that. While she knew more than one language herself, she wouldn’t say many. Her mother was furious when she learned to speak Spanish, but she wanted to, for Rosita.

“I hope you like paella,” Lena said to Kara, pulling back a chair for her. If not, she would order whichever takeout food Kara liked or she would personally cook something that she would enjoy. She wasn’t the greatest chef, but she knew how to prepare a fair amount of things.

Kara hummed while she nodded. She smiled at Lena as she sat down.

Lena was pleased to see Kara went for seconds. She winked at Rosita to let her know she told her so. “I take it you like it?” she asked, chuckling due to how Kara stuffed her cheeks.

“Mhmm, mwyuwy,” Kara mumbled.

Lena’s mother wouldn’t approve of Kara for not swallowing her food before speaking, but her mother didn’t even like Sam, so there was that, and it didn’t matter what her mother might think. She didn’t find Kara’s table manners obnoxious at all. No, Kara was adorable, and the fact Kara enjoyed every bite made her happy.

“Are you going to have room left for dessert?” Lena asked, thinking of all the ice cream she kept in the freezer. She may have bought a bunch of flavors at the last minute because she didn’t know which one Kara preferred.

Kara licked her lips. “Always,” she answered with a broad smile. “Dessert is my favorite. I love sugar. Sweet food is my weakness.”

“You must like ice cream then.”

“I love ice cream!” Kara exclaimed. “I didn’t have ice cream before, erm, the first time I tried it was when I was thirteen after the Danvers family adopted me.”

Lena was stunned to hear that. Ice cream was something people generally enjoyed during their early childhood years. She was five or something like that when her father treated her to ice cream. “What happened to your parents?” she asked, blaming her curiosity to learn more about Kara for asking something that made Kara look like she was going to cry.

“You don’t have to answer that,” Lena added hurriedly. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

“I lost them in a, ah, explosion. Our house blew up while I wasn’t, erm, home.”

Dear god, Lena couldn’t fathom Kara lost her parents in such a horrible way. She wondered if a gas leak caused the explosion, but it wasn’t her business, and she didn’t want to upset Kara further. “I’m sorry for your loss,” she said, placing her hand on top of Kara’s. “If you ever want to talk, I’m here for you.”

Kara managed a thin smile which didn’t reach her eyes and gave Lena’s hand a soft squeeze.

“Have you been home alone before?” Kara asked after Rosita left.

“Yes, all the time, really,” Lena answered while they plopped down on the couch together. “My mother is away for business a lot.”

Kara chewed her lip. “Do you miss her?”

“Yes. I don’t mind being alone though,” Lena said, a little too quickly. She handed the remote to Kara. “You can choose a movie.”

“Oh. Are you sure?”

Lena responded with a brief nod while she reached for a blanket. She tended to get a bit cold, even during the summer. While Kara opened up Netflix, she unfolded the blanket, offering half of it to Kara, considering it was big enough to share. Her heart felt like it was about to combust when Kara snuggled into her, which was unexpected, but then Kara gave her a strange look that confused her, making her wonder if she did something wrong.

Kara glanced away, and the expressions on her face morphed into something neutral. “What’s your favorite genre?” she asked while she flitted through the options on Netflix.

“Not horror,” Lena answered, not caring much about genres otherwise. “You can pick a scary movie if you want, but I’ll be hiding under my blanket during it.”

“I do the same during scary movies,” Kara revealed with a dry chuckle. “But you deflected my question. You didn’t tell me your favorite genre.”

“Hm, fair enough,” Lena admitted. “Okay, don’t laugh,” she said with a nervous smile. “I like Disney movies and animated movies in general. It may sound childish, but it’s true.”

“Childish?” Kara replied, gasping. “I love Disney movies.”

Lena should have befriended Kara sooner. Sam teased her relentlessly about her liking Disney movies, even though the better half of every movie night they had was spent watching a Disney film.

They settled on Frozen, snuggly cuddled together under the blanket with the prospect of dessert forgotten. Kara’s head rested on Lena’s thigh, her face tilted towards the screen, and legs curled up with her knees almost touching her chest.

Lena subconsciously stroked Kara’s hair. Her nails scraped her scalp now and then. Everything about this moment felt relaxed and natural to her. It wasn’t until they neared the end of the movie when she realized what she was doing, but when she went to withdraw her hand, Kara took it back.

“Feels good,” Kara sighed, humming when Lena returned to combing her fingers through her hair.

Lena’s heart warmed with adoration for Kara. She felt special, knowing she was lucky to have such a soft, easy-going, relaxed moment with Kara. She hoped they could spend more time together in the future. The loneliness, and the ache inside of her, all faded into nothing when Kara was near. She found she didn’t want this night to end, but she promised Kara’s parents to have her home by eleven.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Attention, students,” Miss Ardeen said five minutes before the bell was about to ring. “Listen up. For your finals, half of your grade will depend on a group project. You are free to choose who you team up with, though three to four people per group is advisable. I want all of you to keep in mind your grade on your project will be given as a group.”

Kara heard students whisper about Miss Ardeen’s accent. She agreed with those who said their science teacher had a lovely voice. While Miss Ardeen ran through details, she exchanged a smile with Alex, Sam, and Lena.

“We got this,” Sam said, rubbing her hands together.

“Definitely,” Alex chimed in. “We’ll…,” she paused for a moment, glancing Kara’s way before adding, “Ace it.”

Kara threw her sister a smile. When the bell rang, she gathered her things, but before she could head out of the door, her path was blocked by Mike. “Um, do you mind?” she sighed, trying to side-step him, but when she moved, he did the same.

“We should team up,” Mike said, flashing Kara his smile which had half of the girls at their school fall at his feet. “We’d make a perfect team, a good looking guy like me, and a pretty girl with brains like you.”

Kara fought off the urge to grimace. “I’m not teaming up with you,” she said simply. “Can you let me through, please?”

“Don’t be like that, sweetcheeks,” Mike replied, grasping Kara’s chin. His slick smile vanished when Kara swatted his hand away. “You can’t play hard to get forever.”

Kara wasn’t playing anything. She didn’t like Mike, and she was never going to like him. When she tried to leave the classroom, he blocked her path again. “Just because you suck at things like science and chemistry doesn’t mean you have to go around forcing people into teaming up with you!” she snapped, face red. “I’m teaming up with Alex, Lena, and Sam. No means no, why is that so hard for you to understand? You… you douche.”

“Mister Matthews, stop harassing students,” Miss Ardeen warned. “Or you will find yourself in detention next Friday.”

“I’m not harassing anyone,” Mike mumbled. “Are you going to let this slut talk to me like that?”

“Detention,” Miss Ardeen said while she wrote a detention slip for Mike. She walked over to him with the piece of paper in one hand, and a book in the other, handing him the former with a pointed look.

Kara took a moment to breathe while Mike stomped off. Rao, she hadn’t meant to snap, but that guy knew how to get under her skin. She didn’t push him or slap him in the face, so it could have been worse. It shocked her that Mike called her a slut, as far as she knew that was a mean slur for girls who slept around. She never had sex with anyone, and even if she would have, it was uncalled for.

“Kara,” Miss Ardeen spoke up before Kara walked out. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” Kara answered with a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry I made such a scene. Thank you for interfering, Miss Ardeen.”

“Alright, but remember that my door is always open.”

Kara’s smile widened at that. Her science teacher was kind. She frowned when she noticed a book which she was certain Miss Ardeen held behind her back a moment ago was suddenly on the desk. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she promised. “I liked your class today by the way. Not that I don’t like it the other days because I do, but I liked your explanation of the possibility of time travel.”

“I should go,” Kara added, hearing Alex hiss at Mike in the hall. “My sister is waiting for me.”

“Good luck with your science project, Kara,” Miss Ardeen said with a kind smile. “I have no doubt you will achieve great things someday.”

Kara rushed into the hall where Alex had Mike pinned against a locker. Oh, Rao, her sister didn’t have to do that.

“If you call my sister a slut again I will kick your ass, you hear me?” Alex grumbled, glaring at Mike.

“Alex,” Kara sighed, grabbing her sister by the arm. “He’s not worth it, let’s go.”

“Girls are so dramatic,” Mike muttered. “Always on their period.”

“Go to hell,” Alex hissed, struggling against Kara’s grip.

“Ignore that wanker, he’s bummed out he’s not getting laid.”

“Maggie,” Alex said, easing up when Maggie walked by them. “Hey.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Chips and drinks,” Lena said as she put it all down on the table.

Alex shook her head at how Kara immediately resorted to stuffing her face with chips. She didn’t think she would be spending her Friday night at Lena’s place, but here she was, to work on their science project. It was Lena’s idea to meet up at her house, and she thought it was a good idea because it meant no parental supervision.

Sam held a pen in her left hand, tapping the end of it on a writing pad. “Any ideas what we’ll do for our science project?” she asked, opening a can of coca cola with her right hand.

Alex watched as Sam took a sip. Her stomach felt strange at the thought she was going to hang out with Sam tomorrow, as friends, of course, not as a date. That much became clear during all the texts they sent back and forth. She saved Sam’s number into her phone with a heart next to it, which was something friends did sometimes.

“Hmm,” Kara hummed. “We could do something nobody else might even think of, something others can’t create,” she suggested, to which Alex shot her a silent warning with her eyes.

Alex knew her sister was advanced when it came to science, but she needed to draw a limit somewhere, so whatever they decided to do for their science project couldn’t be more complicated than what a first-year student in college might present. They could get away with that, considering all four of them had a knack for science.

“This group project will be my easiest A plus ever,” Lena said, smiling affectionately at Kara. “Do you have any ideas?” she asked, looking solely at Kara as if the others just weren’t there.

“Maybe we could build a robot.”

“Robot,” Sam said while she wrote it down. “We could teach it how to boogie.”

Alex stole glances of Sam while they discussed their project. She couldn’t believe how she was going to spend time alone with Sam tomorrow. They weren’t going to Sam’s place, and they weren’t going to hang out at her house either. She didn’t even know what to wear! Not that she had to dress in a particular way because it wasn’t a date, but she liked to make a decent impression, and Sam always looked fantastic.

 


	7. Chapter 7

Sam picked up Alex around noon, as was agreed on through texts. She had settled for basic jeans and a button up, noting with a smile Alex’s outfit was similar to hers. “Hey, Alex,” she said, opening the door for her.

Alex’s cheeks tinged red. “Hi, Sam,” she replied, averting her eyes for a second while she bit her lower lip.

Once Alex got in, Sam closed the door and walked around her car to get in as well. It was a sunny day, which was perfect for the picnic she had planned to take Alex on. Kara told her she used to do that a lot with her sister three to four years ago, and Kara claimed it was something Alex enjoyed.

Sam got up at seven in the morning, on a Saturday no less, to ensure she got everything done before leaving. She fed and clothed her daughter, then herself, and prepared a basket for her picnic with Alex. It wasn’t a date, she was aware of that, but god she wished it was.

“So,” Alex said when Sam started the car. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” Sam answered, turning on the radio, keeping the volume low so they could talk.

“How about a hint?”

“Hmm, food,” Sam replied, chuckling when Alex made that cute little frustrated huffing sound of hers.

“I’d hope so since it’s noon,” Alex muttered.

Sam was glad to hear Alex stuttered less around her. She liked to believe Alex was getting more and more comfortable around her, which was a good thing. As fun as it was to see Alex getting all nervous or seeing her having a gay panic, she wanted Alex to relax and understand she wasn’t going to bite her unless she asked.

Sam pulled over when she saw Alex struggling with the seatbelt. “It gets stuck sometimes. My car is old,” she said while she leaned slightly over Alex to reach the seatbelt, tugging at it until it loosened up. She stilled after she clicked it in place, her face mere inches away from Alex’s.

Alex’s throat bobbed. “T-thanks.”

“Your eyes are gorgeous, too,” Sam whispered, losing herself in Alex’s hazel eyes, spotting tiny flecks of gold, thinking of how back at her place, Alex mentioned she had gorgeous eyes.

Before she risked overwhelming Alex Sam leaned away, and started her car again to resume their drive to the park. It was tempting to kiss Alex, but Alex claimed she was straight, despite the signs that said otherwise, and she didn’t want to ruin whatever it was they had.

“Sam,” Alex said, fumbling her hands. “I… I’ve meant to ask you something.”

“Ask away,” Sam replied, curious to hear whatever it was Alex wanted to know.

“Is this a date?”

Sam almost stepped on the brakes. “Do you want it to be?” she inquired while she kept her eyes on the road.

Silence met Sam. Alex didn’t answer her question. By the time they neared the park, Alex still hadn’t said whether she wanted it to be a date or not. She hoped she didn’t make Alex’s mind go into overdrive too much.

Alex got out of the car after Sam parked it, her eyes glanced Sam’s way, but whenever Sam looked at her, she shifted her gaze elsewhere.

Sam opened the trunk, taking out the blanket and the picnic basket she stashed there.

“We’re going picnicking?” Alex commented and hearing her speak out of the blue nearly made Sam jump up in surprise.

“Yup,” Sam answered, sending Alex a smile.

“I love picnics. I used to have them with my sister and my parents. When I was little, we went picnicking at least once every week every summer. It was pretty much a Danvers family tradition. We still go on picnics, but not that often anymore. My parents work a lot, and they can’t always get days off just because the sun shines.”

Sam listened intently as Alex relayed some of her childhood memories while they sought out a good spot to sit, eventually settling on a grassy area in the shadow of a willow tree. She spread out the blanket and put down the picnic basket.

“I hope you like sloppy peanut butter & jelly sandwiches,” Sam said while she opened the basket. “And lemonade.”

“Sounds tasty,” Alex replied, smiling as she sat down next to Sam on the blanket. “Thanks,” she said when Sam handed her a sandwich. “This kind of feels like…”

Sam waited for Alex to finish that sentence, but it didn’t sound like she was going to, and she didn’t ask either. It did feel like a date, though it was unclear if Alex was okay with this being that. She never went picnicking before.

“Hey, this one isn’t peanut butter & jelly,” Alex said when she bit into a sandwich she just took out of the basket.

Sam wondered if Lucy messed with her by putting extra sandwiches in her basket. “Oh?” she asked, and that was how she wound up taking a bite after Alex held it out to her.

Moments later, they fed each other bites while they discovered there were sandwiches with Nutella, cheese, and ham. Sam reveled at the sound of Alex’s laughter, and her stomach swooped each time her fingers brushed Alex’s lips as she offered her another piece of a sandwich.

“Say aaa,” Alex said, smiling while she plucked a piece from her peanut butter & jelly sandwich.

“Aaaalex,” Sam replied, chuckling while Alex rolled her eyes half-heartedly.

Alex’s smile brightened when Sam opened her mouth to accept the bite. “Goofball,” she whispered, her smile positively infectious.

Sam smeared a bit of peanut butter & jelly onto Alex’s cheek, laughing when Alex got some on her nose. “I’ll get that for you,” she said, bringing her mouth closer to Alex’s cheek.

“Ew, Sam,” Alex laughed when Sam licked her cheek. “Your nose is sticky.”

Sam nuzzled her nose against Alex’s. “Now yours is, too,” she pointed out with a cheeky smile.

“You’re bad,” Alex replied, giving Sam a push.

Sam fell back onto the blanket, refraining from pulling Alex down with her despite wanting to, amused by the sight of Alex trying to lick the smidge of peanut butter & jelly from her nose. “Yeah, I’m not doing that. Can you pass me a napkin?”

“Aw, can’t reach your nose with your tongue?” Alex taunted while she reached for the pack of tissues.

“My tongue can reach plenty of places,” Sam replied, waiting for a beat as her words sunk in, and Alex’s cheeks darkened. She couldn’t keep her mouth shut at all times, not when Alex made it so easy for her to make such comments.

“You started this, you know,” Alex huffed, covering Sam’s face with a tissue.

Sam blew the tissue away. “I only start what I can finish,” she quipped with a wink, and okay, she should probably stop before Alex made a run for it.

Alex was deadly silent while she bit into another sandwich.

“Truce?” Sam asked, grabbing two cans of lemonade, holding one out to Alex.

Alex narrowed her eyes while her mouth stretched into a mischievous smile. She ran her finger through her peanut butter & jelly sandwich, gathering up some of it before smearing it onto Sam’s cheek. “Now we can have a truce,” she said, shrieking when Sam pushed her down.

Sam leaned too far forward, accidentally ending up on top of Alex. Bits of sunlight reflected on Alex’s skin, illuminating how breathtaking her eyes were.

“That’s the second time you fell for me,” Alex teased.

Sam couldn’t stop thinking how it was the third because what she felt for Alex wasn’t a crush anymore.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara waved at Lena from where she sat in the cafeteria until she got her attention, and once she did, she smiled, happy to see her friend smiling back at her. She didn’t care what other students whispered, how they called her a lesbian as she made big gestures with her hands for Lena to come sit with her, along with Sam.

Lena nudged Sam’s side before picking up her tray and stalking over to Kara’s table.

Alex frowned when Maggie walked by their table. “Where do you think you’re going, Sawyer?” she called out while Maggie was close to an empty table.

“Yes, sit with us,” Kara chimed in, patting the space next to her.

“Could you say that any louder? I don’t think they’ve heard you in the back.”

“Ah no sorry, I forgot my megaphone at home,” Alex replied, opening her soda.

“Hey!” Kara chirped when Lena and Sam joined them.

“Found my megaphone,” Alex mumbled, to which Maggie snorted.

“How rude,” Kara said, pouting at her sister.

“Yes, Alex, how rude,” Sam agreed as she sat down across from Alex. “You didn’t even say hello.”

“We share classes. I’m sure you’ll get over it.”

“Wrong foot out of bed first, much?” Sam replied with a humored smile.

Kara’s eyes filled with glee when Lena gave her cookies. Rao, Lena knew how to make her swoon, treating her sweet tooth so well. She tasted bits of chocolate, which melted on her tongue. She closed her eyes to savor the taste, to thoroughly enjoy it, and when she opened them, Lena looked at her with a smile that could warm up the coldest room in the middle of the winter.

“We should eat lunch together all the time, from now on,” Kara said, to make that clear, so she didn’t always have to call everyone over to join their table.

“I’m in,” Maggie replied. “I’m going to miss you guys next year.”

“I’ll miss you, too,” Alex said to Maggie.

A dimpled smile appeared on Maggie’s face. “You going soft on me Danvers?”

“You’re one to talk.”

“Alex has a point,” Sam agreed, nudging Lena’s side until Lena nodded. “So, Maggie-”

“How do you like Midvale high so far?” Lena cut in.

Kara found it odd Lena interrupted Sam mid-sentence, and from the frown on Sam’s face, she wasn’t the only one who thought so. There was a weird tension at their table, which she couldn’t put her finger on.

“It’s better than my old school,” Maggie answered, moving her food around on her plate with her fork. “I’m not getting bullied here, so that has to count for something I guess,” she said with a shrug, making it sound casual.

Sam’s expressions shifted. “You got bullied?” she asked, glancing around the cafeteria. “If anyone picks on you here I’ll deal with them,” she all but grumbled while Alex stared at her dreamily as if she hung up the moon.

Kara smiled while everyone hummed their agreement. She liked how they had each other’s back, which was what friendship was all about. Her sister’s heart was doing funny things while Alex only seemed to have eyes for Sam.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Rain pelted out of the sky. It was supposed to be a sunny day, but the wind was sharp and biting. Alex was glad once she was inside her car, warm and dry. Her sister wasn’t with her today, considering Kara hung out with Lena again. She liked the fact her sister made a friend, and the Luthor girl was a good egg.

Alex turned on the wipers to see properly while she drove. She didn’t make it all the way out of the parking lot yet when she saw Maggie leaving the school on foot. The new girl looked soaked, and she didn’t have an umbrella on her. She carefully moved her car as close to Maggie as she could, and rolled down the window.

“Hey, Sawyer!” Alex shouted, which made Maggie stop walking. “Get in,” she said, nudging her head towards the passenger’s door. “I’ll give you a ride.”

“It’s fine, Danvers,” Maggie replied, slipping her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “Not the first bad weather I’ve gone through.”

“Get your ass in the car,” Alex insisted. “You’re not going to get a cold or worse on my watch.”

Maggie cracked a smile. “How protective of you,” she said, opening the passenger’s door.

Alex noticed Maggie shivered. She shrugged off her jacket and leaned closer towards Maggie, putting it around her shoulders. Maggie’s skin felt cold. She pushed wet strands of hair out of Maggie’s face. Her movements slowed down when they made eye-contact. Little puffs of Maggie’s breath touched her nose.

Alex cupped Maggie’s cheeks, watching as Maggie closed her eyes for a moment to bask in the warmth of her hands. “Better?” she asked while her thumbs caressed Maggie’s skin.

Maggie’s eyelids fluttered. “Alex,” she whispered, covering Alex’s hands with hers. A smile made its way onto her face. “Are you sure you’re not into girls?”

Alex froze, and a second later she pulled back. “I’m not!” she blanched, swallowing thickly while she gripped the wheel. “I… I’m not… sure,” she said, heart racing at her admission that maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t as straight as she always claimed she was.

Alex’s eyes went round. She turned her head to the side to look at Maggie. “Wait,” she gulped, pulse-quickening even more. “I wasn’t trying to make a pass on you. Oh my god, that’s not what I… I just… You were cold, and you’re my friend.”

“I didn’t mean to freak you out,” Maggie replied, rubbing her hands up and down her arms, still shuddering from how soaked she was. “You’ve been on my gaydar since day one, that’s all. I got a vibe from you, but I shouldn’t have sprung it on you like that.”

“You’re gay??” Alex blurted out. “I had no idea,” she mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed for her lack of tact, although that made two of them, so they might as well be even now.

“Yes, I’m a lesbian,” Maggie confirmed.

“I’m fine with that, by the way,” Alex stated, just for the record, to avoid giving the wrong impression.

“My parents didn’t take it so well. It’s why I had to move here. I live with my aunt because they kicked me out.”

Alex’s jaw dropped, but she quickly gathered herself. “That’s horrible,” she replied, mortified someone would do that to their child, but sadly she knew not everyone was accepting and supportive.

Maggie shrugged. “It is what it is,” she said, reaching for the seatbelt.

Alex drove after Maggie shared her address. It took less than ten minutes to get there. Meanwhile, the weather got worse because it began to thunder. She hoped Kara was okay, knowing how little her sister appreciated it when lightning cracked through the sky due to the noise.

“Do you want to come in until the rain stops?” Maggie asked, hand on the handle of the door. “I promise I won’t bite.”

Alex agreed, and a minute later she was inside the flat where Maggie lived. She frowned at the makeshift bed in the corner of the living room, behind a half-drawn curtain. The place was clean. There was no clutter. She noticed the television wasn’t bigger than a laptop.

Maggie grabbed a towel and a dry shirt, smiling when Alex averted her eyes when she got rid of her wet top. “You can look now. I’m decent.”

Alex’s cheeks were a little hot. When she moved her eyes back to Maggie, she saw she had changed into the dry shirt.

“So, this is how I live,” Maggie said, gesturing around. “I’d appreciate it if you don’t tell anyone.”

“I won’t,” Alex promised. “I know how to keep a secret.”

“Me, too,” Maggie replied, nodding her heads towards a worn-out couch, which looked like it saw more than a few winters. “You can tell me about Sam if you want.”

Alex didn’t know about that. She chewed the inside of her cheek while she sat down. “When did you…? How did you…?” she tried, unsure how to ask.

“When I was fourteen, I had a best friend, and someday I realized I liked being around her. Really liked being around her. When she kissed my cheek, I found myself thinking how it should have been my lips instead. It wasn’t exactly a light bulb moment. Little by little, I learned my feelings for her weren’t platonic, and the idea of guys always grossed me out. I remember how a guy tried to kiss me and I panicked, so I told him I had to walk my dog. I didn’t even have a dog.”

Alex chuckled at Maggie’s gay panic experience. She bit her lip while Maggie explained further, listening to every detail of what she said. Everything Maggie told her about how she was never drawn to guys, didn’t want to kiss them, and all of that, felt relatable to her. She had guys kiss her, but she was never into it, and when their hands began to wander she was always in a sudden hurry to leave, to escape that moment while she felt like clawing out of her skin. When it came down to intimacy, she figured she wasn’t ready yet.

“My best friend was a page turner for me,” Maggie sighed. “I loved having sleepovers with her because it meant I got to be near her. I used to think she felt the same way, but she didn’t.”

Alex didn’t realize she was crying until Maggie thumbed at her tears. “I am so… confused,” she choked out through her tears. “I… I h-had a best f-friend, too. And I…,” she trailed off, sucking her lips into her mouth while she nodded. Vicky was her best friend and if she was honest, what she felt for her wasn’t entirely platonic.

And Maggie knew what Alex meant to say. She tilted her head slightly to the side, her eyes full of understanding while she gave Alex a sympathetic smile.

Alex sat next to Maggie, breaking out into a waterfall of words as she poured out her heart to this girl she recently met, but who made her feel at ease in a way she could barely wrap her head around. While she talked, she knew she found a true friend in Maggie, someone she could lean on, someone who understood what she was going through.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Kara flinched as thunder roared outside. Every time it cracked, she jumped. She tried not to make it obvious at first, but Lena noticed regardless, so it was pointless to mask her reactions. It wasn’t fear. No, she wasn’t scared of some bad weather. But Rao, the noise, the noise was excruciating.

“Not a fan of thunder, hm?” Lena said calmly, crouching down where Kara had slumped against the wall. “How about you and I build a pillow fort, and watch a movie in there with headphones on? You’ll be safe in there.”

Kara smiled due to how kind Lena was to her, but another crack of lightning had her flinch again and caused her smile to slip. “The noise is startling,” she revealed in a whisper, figuring she could share that without giving too much away.

“I like your idea,” Kara said, accepting Lena’s outstretched hand. It was endearing, how Lena pulled her up to her feet with visible effort. “You should know I’m not good at building pillow forts though,” she added, thinking how she tried building one once with Alex, but it kept collapsing because it was a new experience to her.

“Neither am I,” Lena replied with a chuckle. When Kara jumped up at another crack of thunder, she took her hand and rubbed soothing circles. “We can be bad at it together.”

“Together,” Kara agreed with a smile.

Kara followed Lena upstairs where they gathered pillows and blankets. She tried to focus on other sounds such as Lena’s heartbeat, but the sound of thunder was overwhelming. During weather like this, Alex usually cuddled with her, and her sister sang to her until it was over. Lena’s idea wasn’t bad, and she was relieved Lena didn’t laugh at her flinching so much.

They really sucked at building a fort. The pillows kept falling, and once they thought they had the hang of it, the blanket fell on top of them.

“Are my eyes deceiving me or did you do some different with your skin?” Kara asked, giggling while Lena threw a pillow at her.

“Maybe I wanted my skin to look like milk. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Well, I-” Kara was cut off by a pillow hitting her square in the face.

Feathers fell around them in a puffy cloud.

“Oh my god,” Lena gasped. “Are you okay?”

“I am, but I don’t think your pillows are.”

“Like I care about those,” Lena muttered under her breath. “I think I hit you quite hard,” she said, shifting closer, cradling Kara’s face in her hands. “Did it hurt?”

“I’m fine. You can stop fussing,” Kara answered, placing her hands on top of Lena’s. At that moment it struck her she forgot all about the bad weather. She wrapped her arms around Lena, freezing when Lena tensed up. “Oh R-God, I’m sorry!”

“No, no, it’s okay. I just…I’m not used to people wanting to hug me,” Lena stammered, circling her arms around Kara. “You don’t have to let go.”

Something about the way Lena said those words sounded too tight, too pleading, giving Kara the feeling Lena was asking her not to let go, so she didn’t. “This is nice,” she said, caressing a hand up and down Lena’s back because hugs like that were the best ones.

“Yes, it is,” Lena breathed out.

Kara heard Lena’s heart beat faster than it should, and a small tremor rippled through Lena’s body as if she was on the verge of tears. “Hey,” she said without letting go. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong per se. You have no idea how often I wished someone would hug me like this. My mother isn’t particularly affectionate. She has unusual rules, and she’s stubborn in her mindset. A Luthor doesn’t cry. A Luthor doesn’t hug, et cetera.”

“But you don’t share that mindset,” Kara realized, finding it harsh Lena’s mother was so cold.

“Not one bit,” Lena confirmed, hugging Kara tighter. “God, I was supposed to make you feel better.”

“Nu-uh, we’re in this together. You said it yourself. And you did make me feel better.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Lena sighed, sounding like she was smiling. “How does ice cream sound?”

“How do five more minutes and then ice cream sound?” Kara suggested instead, smiling while Lena chuckled. When she heard Lena whisper, “deal,” she carefully hugged her just a tad tighter.

“You give nice hugs,” Kara said when they sauntered into the kitchen ten minutes later to get their scoops of ice cream.

“Likewise,” Lena replied, smiling as she opened the freezer. “I’m not sure which flavor you prefer, but I have lots.”

Kara gasped as Lena began to put ice cream onto the counter. Rao, Lena had more than ten flavors in her freezer! Chocolate or vanilla would have been fine, but she didn’t mind getting a mix. There wasn’t a single kind of ice cream she didn’t like, other than vegan ice cream because a demon invented that.  

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam sighed as she sat in the hall, outside of the principal’s office. So much for staying out of trouble, but she couldn’t help it, that douchebag had it coming. The only annoying part was how her sister got called out of work for this, even though she explicitly asked the principal not to phone her. She knew it had to be done because Reign was listed as her guardian and while she wasn’t a minor, she was a student, living under her sister’s roof.

Reign clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth when she arrived. “Violence?” she asked in a _‘you got to be kidding me’_ tone.

Sam shrugged a shoulder. She didn’t regret what she did, not now, not ever. Violence was wrong, but she had a good reason.

“Miss Marsh will see you now,” the school receptionist called out.

Sam slugged into the principal’s office with her sister, taking a seat after Miss Marsh said they could sit down. She listened with half an ear as the principal relayed how she punched Mike Matthews in the face, and how she kneed him between his legs.

“I see,” Reign said slowly, eyes shifting from her sister to the principal. “May I ask what has led to these… unfortunate events?”

“Certainly, Miss Arias,” Miss Marsh responded as she folded her hands atop her desk. “It appears Mike Matthews badmouthed a handful of girls.”

“Badmouthed?” Sam scoffed. “He voiced slurs I won’t even repeat about Alex and Kara. He was disrespectful, and when I told him not to say such things, he swung at me first.”

“Mike claims you struck first. His friends back up his side of the story.”

“He’s lying,” Sam grumbled. She had half a heart to leave this office, but she took a deep breath instead when Reign squeezed her hand.

“If my sister says he swung first then I believe her,” Reign said coolly to the principal.

“Be that as it may, we have a zero-tolerance policy for violence. Mike has been suspended for three days. Sam is hereby suspended for three days, also.”

“Are you certain that is necessary? While I agree violence cannot be tolerated, my sister appears to have acted out of self-defense.”

Sam appreciated her sister’s effort, but the principal was adamant she was suspended for three days. It wasn’t ideal when the finals were less than two months away, but if she could go back, she would kick Mike’s sorry ass all over again. That asshole gloated to his friends how he would bang both of the Danvers sisters before this school year ended, as if! And the slurs were unacceptable.

Reign was quiet as they left the office. “Did he cry?” she asked once they were outside.

Sam shot her sister a smile. “Big time,” she answered, and it was true, when she kneed Mike he cried out for his mother.

“That’s my sister,” Reign said with a wink and a dark smile. When Reign was younger, she got into trouble all of the time. It drove their foster mother crazy. “Let’s go get a milkshake. My treat.”

“You’re a wicked little devil,” Sam replied, laughing as she got in the car.

“Looks like I’ll get to spend three days with my daughter,” Sam said while she fastened her seatbelt.

“You can clean and study to do something useful for a change.”

“Okay, now you’re just being mean,” Sam replied with a shake of her head and a smile. “I’m sorry you got called out of work for this.”

“It’s fine. I think you’ve had quite the day, defending your crush’s honor, and the honor of her sister.”

“Alex is not my crush. She’s… more than that. I really like this girl, Rey,” Sam sighed. “I’m not sure when and if she’ll come out. Not that she has to come out per se. I don’t expect her to announce it publicly or anything, but it would be nice to know if she’s into me or if I’m holding my breath for something that’s never going to happen.”

“Milkshakes and burgers it is,” Reign replied while she turned the key in the ignition. “You have it bad for this girl, hm? Luce mentioned you took her out picnicking.”

“Why am I not surprised she told you? Typical Luce. My date with Alex was great. Well, it felt like a date. I’m taking her to the dance in two weeks. I hope she won’t be uncomfortable. It’s bad enough assholes like Mike feel the need for unwarranted name-calling.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex felt bummed out Sam wasn’t at school. It was complete nonsense that she got suspended. If Mike were at school, she would kick his ass for daring to hit her friend. She wasn’t sure what led up to it because Sam didn’t say much, other than the fact they exchanged words.

“Don’t forget to eat, Danvers,” Maggie said, nudging Alex’s elbow with hers.

“Yeah, yeah, soon,” Alex replied while she tapped away on her phone.

Alex smiled when Sam sent her a picture of Ruby who was fast asleep with a stuffed animal clutched in her tiny, chubby hands. She texted a reply to let Sam know just how adorable she thought Ruby was.

Kara leaned closer, frowning when Alex covered her screen with her hand. “Who are you texting?”

“Sam,” Alex answered, putting her phone on the table screen first.

“I can’t believe she got suspended,” Maggie said. “This school seems stricter than my old school. At my old school someone could give you a nosebleed, push you around, and they barely got detention for it. Hell, they could break someone’s nose, and they still wouldn’t get suspended.”

Alex agreed they were too strict here in Midvale high at times, but from the sound of it, they were too easy-going at Maggie’s old school. She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for Maggie to get bullied in a place that cared little about violence.

Kara cleaned out her two portions of chocolate pudding, but it didn’t withhold her from licking her lips while she looked at Alex’s untouched dessert.

Alex noticed her sister looking, but she very much intended to enjoy her chocolate pudding, and Kara ate two already. She didn’t spend four years learning to resist that pout just to give in whenever Kara pouted a little harder.

“Kara,” Lena spoke up, beating Alex to the punch. “Would you like my chocolate pudding? I’m quite full.”

Kara nodded excessively. “Thank you, Lena!” she beamed, digging in right away.

Alex raised a curious brow at Lena, but then Lena arched hers, and if she was honest, it was somewhat intimidating. Her phone buzzed on the table, distracting her from how gay Lena was for her sister. With a smile, she opened the text Sam sent her.

“Awww,” Alex whispered when Sam sent her another picture of Ruby. “Look how cute Ruby is,” she said, showing her phone to Lena, Kara, and Maggie.

Maggie’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, Sam really has a kid?” she asked, lips slightly parted. “I thought it was a false rumor.”

“Some rumors are false, but yes, Sam has a daughter,” Lena answered.

“Damn,” Maggie said, clearing her throat. “Seems like a lot of responsibility for a teenager.”

“It is, but Sam is a good mother,” Lena countered.

Alex didn’t need Maggie to say it aloud to know what she was thinking, or to have an idea of what it was at least. It didn’t matter to her that Sam had a daughter. She liked Sam, as a friend, and maybe as more than that. Children were cute. She knew even considering ever to date someone with a kid was a lot for an eighteen-year-old, but she had other things to figure out first, and she didn’t mind the fact Sam was a single parent.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena got out of the car after she told Winslow he was free to leave and pick her up later. Parking a limousine was easier said than done, and she wasn’t here for five minutes, so she didn’t want her driver to wait around for her.

“Hey, kiddo,” Lucy said, leaning against the doorpost. “I take it you’re here to bring Sam’s homework?”

“Still with the kiddo, Luce?” Lena asked with a sigh. “I’m sixteen, you know.”

“Ooh, such an adult you are,” Lucy jested, grinning.

Lena rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m here to bring Sam’s homework,” she said while she entered the duplex. “I wouldn’t want her to get bored.”

“That’s very considerate of you,” Lucy replied, shutting the door behind them. “Hey, Sam, Lena’s here with something fun.”

“Tell her to go home.”

“You B,” Lena said to Sam, laughing as she walked into the living room. “Your homework is important, you know.”

Sam smiled at Lena. “Yes, mom,” she replied, sticking out her tongue a little.

Lena responded by flipping Sam off.

“Hey, no foul language or gestures around Ruby,” Reign objected. “And where’s my hug?”

“Mushy much?” Sam commented, shaking her head at her sister.

Lena put her backpack down and opened her arms, welcoming Reign’s brief hug. Reign’s hair smelled like coconut. It was quite lovely.

“I was about to cook dinner,” Lucy announced. “Which means you’re staying,” she informed Lena.

“I have food at home,” Lena reminded Lucy.

Lena had no doubt Rosita already prepared more than she could ever eat by herself, considering it was a part of her job, although she could always let Rosita take it home with her if she wanted, or else she could put it in the freezer for another time. Her mother wasn’t fond of either, but since her mother wasn’t home anyway, it didn’t matter. It was sad yet not surprising how her mother didn’t call or text her even once.

“Are you saying you didn’t miss me the way I missed you?” Sam asked, sauntering up to Lena.

“Yet I am the mushy one here?” Reign scoffed.

“Yeah, babe, you are,” Lucy said to Reign, circling her arms around her waist. “You’re hella mushy,” she continued, kissing Reign’s shoulder.

“Hm, I’m not sure about missing you,” Lena said to Sam, moving her lips from one corner to the other. “It’s nice to have a break from you for once.”

Sam gasped. “Guess who lost their hug.”

“What a loss,” Lena replied, smiling when Sam gave her a quick hug anyway.

Lena’s eyes landed on Ruby, who was on her stomach in front of a mirror, staring at herself. While Sam set the table, she gave all of her attention to the cute baby girl. When she lifted Ruby into her arms, holding her the way her best friend taught her, Ruby smiled at her.

“Did you miss your auntie Lena?” Lena whispered, smiling back at Ruby.

“The ladies magnet strikes again,” Lucy said while she moved around in the kitchen, getting a start on dinner.

“Oh, definitely,” Lena agreed. “Sam texted Alex pictures of Ruby today. Alex hardly put her phone aside for a minute during our lunch break. She was smiling like an i-d-i-o-t. It was endearing to see.”

“She must have smiled a lot then,” Sam noted. “And no spelling out words. That’s cheating.”

“It’s not like Ruby can spell. Don’t hate me because I’m smart enough to use loopholes.”

“You b-i-t-c-h,” Sam replied, laughing lightly. “I will p-u-n-c-h you in the t-i-t.”

Lena shook her head bemusedly. She would like to see Sam try.

“So you’ve been texting your girlfriend, huh?” Lucy grinned at Sam. “You should send her some different pictures if you know what I mean,” she said, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“We all know what you mean, Luce,” Lena commented. “And I wouldn’t recommend doing that to someone who hardly knows she’s into girls.”

“Yeah, I’m not doing that,” Sam agreed, nodding. “We can’t all be pervs like you, Luce.”

“Don’t be rude to my girlfriend,” Reign interrupted, wrapping her arms around Lucy, kissing her neck. “I happen to appreciate every picture Luce sends me.”

“Likewise, babe,” Lucy hummed.

Sam scrunched up her nose. “What makes you think I needed to know that?”

Lena chuckled when Sam and Lucy bickered while Reign made vague attempts at maintaining the peace. She was used to them being like that, and it made her wish she had this sort of thing rather than being home alone or being there with a mother who made her feel as if she lived all by herself. The warmth in this house was one she didn’t know and desperately wanted to have.

Sam joked once or twice how Lena was welcome to move in, but even if it was something to consider seriously, she was a minor, so she couldn’t. Reign offered it once as well, but without her mother’s permission, she was stuck at the Luthor mansion until she turned eighteen.

Sam took over Ruby when she started fussing.

Lena frowned when Reign beckoned her to follow her. Wordlessly, she followed Reign into the bathroom, raising a brow when Reign shut the door.

Reign sat down on the edge of the bathtub. “Are you okay?” she asked, looking at Lena worriedly. “You seem distraught.”

Lena sighed. “I swear you have a sixth sense sometimes, Rey,” she said, walking over to Reign, sitting down next to her. “My mother is gone on a long business trip, again. Sometimes I think she avoids me on purpose because I’m nothing but a thorn in her eye. I’m the product of her late husband’s mistake.”

 


	9. Chapter 9

Alex needed to find a dress for the dance as soon as possible. She couldn’t believe she waited this long to buy one. The dance closed in, and she had no idea what to wear. Even now, standing in the middle of a shop, she didn’t have the slightest clue as to what she liked.

Kara opened the curtain and stepped out. “What do you think?” she asked with a bright smile.

Alex pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering incoherently under her breath.

Maggie stood next to Alex, grinning. “Are you going to break it to her or should I?”

“I can’t even with this,” Alex said, shaking her head.

“What?” Kara asked, frowning, staring down at her dress.

“That’s a wedding dress, little Danvers,” Maggie pointed out. “It’s not exactly suitable for a dance unless you’re trying to practice your future marriage.”

“Oh, R-God!” Kara squeaked, ducking into the small room, closing the curtain.

“It’s like your sister is an alien or something,” Maggie said to Alex, smiling while she looked through a rack with outfits.

Alex almost blanched at that. “That’s ridiculous,” she scoffed. “And I didn’t bring you here to insult my sister.”

“Whoa, who said anything about insulting?” Maggie replied, holding up her hands for a moment. “I’m all for equality, you know. I don’t have any issues with aliens. All I was saying is that it seems as if your sister is from somewhere else. That dress practically screamed wedding dress.”

“All for equality, hm?” Alex said with palpable skepticism in her voice, which she couldn’t keep at bay.

“Hmm?”

“You’ve been weird about Sam since you discovered she has a daughter,” Alex pointed out.

“Single parents are complicated. It’s not easy to find a balance when there’s a kid involved. Sometimes people like that look for a serious commitment, one that can be too much for a teenager.”

Alex knew where Maggie was going with that, but she had to change the topic because she didn’t want her sister to hear too much. She intended to talk to Kara at some point, to share the way Kara shared things with her, but she wasn’t ready yet. This was all new to her, and she wasn’t sure if she was a lesbian or not. She didn’t want to come out when all she felt was confused. She needed to puzzle the pieces together for herself first.

Alex knew she felt something beyond friendship for Vicky, and she felt something for Sam, but she wasn’t sure if maybe she was merely bi-curious. It crossed her mind it could be nothing more than that, a healthy curiosity. Or perhaps she was bisexual or even pansexual. The thought of being intimate with a guy grossed her out, but if she was honest, she didn’t know how she felt about the idea of going there with a girl.

“Any ideas what you’d like to wear to the dance?” Maggie asked. “A dress, a suit, nothing at all?”

Alex breathed out a laugh. “You wish,” she teased, shaking her head at Maggie’s mischievous wink, though she was grateful Maggie changed the topic.

“I was thinking a dress,” Alex hummed. “I’ve never worn a suit. It might feel strange.”

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” Maggie replied with a shrug. “But if you’re set on a dress, that’s cool, too.”

Alex had to admit Maggie had a point. “Who are you taking to the dance?”

“Yes, who’s taking you?” Kara chimed in, revealing herself, clad in a strapless black dress.

“Holy shit,” Maggie gasped, raking her eyes down Kara’s body. “Damn, girl, you’re ripped. You must work out a lot. No wonder half of the school wants to bang you. Your arms are muscled as-” she snapped her mouth shut when Alex elbowed her.

“Stop drooling over my sister,” Alex grumbled, though her annoyance had little to do with people thirsting after Kara and a lot with her sister’s discomfort. She knew Kara found it particularly repulsive to be sexualized.

Kara fidgeted with her glasses so much she nearly dropped them. “I should…,” she trailed off, just about tripping over her feet as she reached for the curtain behind her. “Different dress,” she muttered.

Maggie sighed. “I upset her, didn’t I?” she asked, looking at Alex for answers. “I meant to compliment her, but she looked… I don’t know, uncomfortable?”

Alex couldn’t answer because it wasn’t her place to share Kara was asexual. She knew Maggie’s intentions didn’t come from a wrong place. All she could do was shrug. “So, who’s your date for the dance?” she backtracked, hoping Maggie would let it go.

“A girl named Leslie asked me.”

“Oh no,” Alex replied, shaking her head wildly because that was bad, really bad. “Leslie should have been a senior, but her grades were too low. Hence she’s a junior again. She’s eighteen though. She’s a typical bad girl. Leslie has a lack of rules, gets detention all the time, and she’s a player.”

Maggie smiled like an innocent lamb who didn’t know she was about to be devoured by a tiger. “Maybe I have a thing for rebels,” she said, selecting a suit. “I’m not looking for anything serious anyway. I’m young. Flings is more my thing.”

“If she breaks your heart, I’ll break her face,” Alex muttered.

“Aw shucks, Danvers. I didn’t know you cared that much, but as I said, I’m not looking for anything serious. She can’t break my heart when I’m not seeking love.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara spun the arrow, pleasantly surprised Lena had a variety of board games and other things. When Lena invited her over to hang out, she didn’t hesitate to say yes because so far she always had a good time with her new friend, which made her question why they didn’t form a friendship sooner.

“Right-hand yellow,” Kara read, moving her right hand, placing it on a yellow circle, next to the one where Lena’s left hand rested.

Kara’s back was arched, arms flexed. Her alien biology came in handy, but she wasn’t floating, so it didn’t count as cheating. Whenever she played twister with Alex, she used her ability to fly from time to time, which her sister didn’t appreciate one bit. Around Lena, she couldn’t do that because Lena didn’t know she was an alien. She wondered if someday she would be able to tell her.

Lena’s eyes nearly bulged out. “How are you so flexible?” she asked, staring while she went to spin the arrow. “Are you sure you’re not a gymnast?”

Kara chuckled. “Very sure,” she answered, smiling at how Lena kept wiggling her toes as if she couldn’t hold her position much longer. “I did warn you I’m good at twister.”

“That you did,” Lena admitted. “Right foot red,” she said, releasing a deep breath when she was able to place her right foot directly next to her left one. “Finally,” she whispered.

“I played this game a few times with Sam,” Lena shared while Kara took her next turn. “She’s the reason I even have twister. She stopped playing it with me after I kept falling on top of her. Who knew people didn’t like to be crushed?”

“Is this your heads up to say you’ll fall on top of me?”

“Pretty much,” Lena answered, sharing a chuckle with Kara. “Does it help if I apologize in advance for my lack of flexibility?”

“That depends. Does it help if I say no?” Kara teased, sticking out her tongue when Lena wobbled. “What’s that word again people shout when a tree falls?”

“You are terrible,” Lena laughed. “Don’t be surprised if my phone deletes your number. And stop distracting me. It’s messing up my balance.”

“What balance?” Kara replied before she could stop herself.

That must have been the last straw for Lena because next thing Kara knew, Lena gave her a push, and they both fell. “Hey, that’s not fair,” she pouted.

“You…,” Lena said, smiling softly, reaching out to tuck a lock of Kara’s hair behind her ear. “You are something else,” she whispered, sighing, eyes mapping Kara’s face.

Kara observed Lena curiously, listening to her elevated heartbeat, watching the spark in Lena’s green eyes; like a forest illuminated by a sky full of stars. Lena’s lips curved into a smile. She liked it when people looked happy. It was a beautiful sight to behold. The fact Lena brushed her hair behind her ear was a gentle gesture, and she thought it was sweet.

Kara wasn’t sure what Lena meant when she said she was something else, though the way she said it didn’t sound negative at all, especially not when such a genuine smile accompanied it. Lena didn’t treat her as if she was weird, or as if she was alien. She liked to think she did a good job hiding the fact she was Kryptonian. Tucking parts of herself away wasn’t what she wanted, but she knew she couldn’t publicly announce she was different.

Lena used her hands to push herself up to stand. “I’m going to get some drinks,” she announced while she stuck out a hand to help Kara up. “Would you like anything?”

“Water will do, thanks,” Kara answered with an appreciative smile.

Kara didn’t know how to feel about the fact Lena was alone so much. Lena wasn’t a child, but at the same time Lena was only sixteen, and from what she observed it seemed as if Lena raised herself with some help from the people who worked for her. It was sad Lena never got a ride to school from her mother instead of from her driver.

Before Alex got her driver’s license, Eliza or Jeremiah used to drop them off at school and pick them up afterward. Kara also found it sad for Lena her mother never cooked for her. Granted, not everyone was the best chef in the kitchen, and some people resorted to paying someone to do it for them, but everyone knew how to make a sandwich, at least.

Kara walked up to Lena and hugged her when she thought of how Lena told her before how her mother had a rule against hugs. She shouldn’t have caught Lena off guard, considering the water Lena poured wound up on the counter.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said, letting go.

“It’s fine. It’s just water,” Lena replied, drying her hands, dabbing at the spilled water. “But, what was that for? The hug, I mean.”

“No particular reason,” Kara answered, although that was a lie. It wasn’t random, though it was a spur of the moment. She chewed her lip, averting her eyes because she wasn’t good at diverting from the truth and Lena looked at her as if she could see through her, or as if she tried to.

Kara was relieved when Lena didn’t question her further. She accepted the glass of water with a smile, and followed Lena, listening as Lena made a couple of suggestions for the robot they planned to create for their science project.

Lena sipped from her water, watching Kara as she did so. She traced the tip of her finger over the rim of her glass, cheeks red, and despite the glint in her eyes, her smile was tight.

“What’s on your mind?” Kara asked when she couldn’t withhold her curiosity any longer.

“It’s silly, really,” Lena sighed, but Kara wasn’t going to let her brush it off that easily. “When you hugged me earlier… Did you still want to?”

“Ah,” Kara whispered, understanding now. From what she assumed, Lena wanted a hug, but she danced around it carefully as if she would ever say no to hug a friend.

“Forget about it,” Lena said with a chuckle, waving her hand. “As I said, it’s silly.”

“It’s not silly,” Kara disagreed, setting her glass aside. “Bring it in,” she beamed, arms spread, ready to embrace Lena.

Lena mirrored Kara’s movements. Her breath hitched a little when Kara wound her arms around her. “Your hugs are special. They’re tight, but not crushing, just tight enough. And it’s sweet how you caress my back with your hands. And I’m totally overanalyzing this, aren’t I?”

Kara smiled. She was glad to hear her hugs had the right amount of pressure. It took her a lot of practice to hug humans without hurting them or leaving bruises on their ribs. “I don’t mind,” she replied, counting it as a pat on the shoulder for the effort it cost her to avoid using too much or too little strength.

“No, Lena, you’re not overanalyzing,” Lena said, attempting to copy Kara’s voice. “Oh thank you, Kara.”

“Am I supposed to mimic you mimicking me now?” Kara replied, chuckling at how Lena’s accent had slipped through a tad too much to sound like her, but it was a nice try.

Lena backed away and flashed Kara a smile. “You surprise me sometimes,” she whispered, brushing a stray lock of Kara’s hair behind her ear. “In a good way,” she added. “I’m happy we’re friends, Kara.”

Kara beamed at that. “Me, too!” she wholeheartedly agreed. “You’re really wool.”

Lena chuckled. “Dork,” she teased.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam snapped a quick picture of Alex holding Ruby. She didn’t say anything as she saved it as her screensaver. Alex was so enraptured smiling down at her daughter that she hadn’t even looked up when she took the picture.

“If you ever need a babysitter, sign me up,” Alex said with a chuckle. Her eyes slowly met Sam’s, and when they did, she smiled.

Sam automatically smiled back. The soft curves of Alex’s lips as they tugged upward pulled it out of her. “I’ll keep that in mind. Next time I’m drawing names of who gets to babysit her, I’ll add yours,” she replied, and while that wasn’t fully the case, it wasn’t a joke either. “I swear my sister thinks Rubes is hers sometimes. She spends time with her every chance she gets, but she helps out a lot, and I’m thankful I have her in my life.”

“Your sister is kind. I can’t believe people claim she has a reputation as a rebel. She’s so soft.”

Sam grinned. “Oh trust me, her reputation checks out. She has a dark side, but at the same time she has a heart of gold.”

Alex stood up from the bench, readjusting Ruby in her arms. “Why are you standing so far away?”

Sam was surprised it took Alex this long to question why she got up from the bench. Little did Alex know she snapped a picture. “Are you saying you want me close to you?” she shot back, pleased to see Alex’s cheeks darkened. She loved the fact she affected her, which she saw as a good sign.

When Sam decided to go to the park today with her daughter, she invited Alex on a whim, and she had a feeling Alex literally dropped everything she had planned to say yes. After she asked Alex if she wanted to join them, she texted her she could pick her up within twenty minutes.

“I think holding your daughter counts as having a part of you close to me,” Alex said, her voice a little shaky, but she didn’t stutter.

Sam wondered if Alex tried to flirt with her or if she had it all wrong. “I’ll take that as a yes,” she decided, eyes sparkling when Alex ducked her head, cheeks crimson. Okay, that was definitely a yes.

Alex swayed a little. “I think she’s falling asleep,” she whispered.

Sam went to reply, but her brain short-circuited when Alex began to sing to Ruby. God, Alex sang like a nightingale. As if she needed another reason to fall for this girl. Seeing her daughter falling asleep in the arms of the person who made her heart beat faster and skip beats at the same time, tugged at her heartstrings, and brought a smile onto her face.

When Alex stopped singing, she kissed Ruby’s forehead. “Sweet dreams, little bug.”

Sam was quite sure she experienced heart palpations. “Alex,” she breathed out, gazing at her with pure adoration. “That was…beautiful. Just like you.”

Alex’s cheeks colored another shade of red. “You think I’m beautiful?” she asked, teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

“Yes, you’re very appealing,” Sam answered, fighting the urge to lean in and plant a kiss on Alex’s lips.

Alex slowly released her lower lip, and now Sam wanted to kiss her even more. “Thanks,” she whispered. “You’re really beautiful, too.”

Moments later they walked through the park together. Sam held her daughter because Alex’s arms had started to numb. Ruby wasn’t heavy, but she was like a small bag of potatoes, so after a while rest was welcome.

One woman at the park said it was sweet they took their baby sister to the park, another asked if they were babysitters and if they were available to babysit during the summer, and a couple said they were cute together and complimented them for having such an adorable baby girl.

Sam was surprised when Alex corrected all of them, except the couple. She didn’t ask why Alex didn’t say they weren’t together, and if she was honest, she appreciated it how Alex didn’t blurt out she wasn’t Ruby’s mother. Her old friends would have made quite the scene if someone wrongly dared to assume they were her daughter’s other parent.

Alex – who thanked the couple for their kind words – was refreshing, and Sam found herself falling even harder for her.

 


	10. Chapter 10

Lena took a steadying breath as she walked up to the front door. She opted for a black dress, which showed off some of her cleavage while keeping it classy. The neckline didn’t plunge that deep, enough to leave something to people’s imagination. Her lips were painted a light red. She almost went with cherry red or purple, but she chose to keep it modest. Stilettos with a zigzag pattern of straps completed her outfit.

Lena’s index finger was in the air, reaching for the doorbell when the door swung open, revealing a smiling Kara.

“Hey!” Kara beamed, radiant as ever.

Lena raked her eyes down Kara’s body, drinking in her outfit for the night. Kara wore a blue dress which complimented her eyes. The black high heels Kara had on showed off her muscled calves. She snapped out of her dazed stare when Kara fumbled with her glasses.

“Hello,” Lena said, revealing a singular red rose from behind her back. “This is for you.”

“Awww, thanks, Lena,” Kara replied, taking it with a smile. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Lena waved it off because it was the least she could do. She remembered Kara didn’t appear fond of the dance, and she wanted to make this night enjoyable for her. When Kara grasped her hand, she stumbled.

Kara steadied Lena with a slight grimace. “R-God, I’m sorry,” she sighed. “Eliza and Jeremiah want to take a picture of us before we go. Is that okay?”

Lena should have figured as much. It was part of the tradition. “Yes, of course,” she answered with a tight, nervous smile.

Kara’s hand was warm as she held Lena’s, walking her into the living room where Eliza and Jeremiah waited with a camera.

Lena was mindful of where she kept her hands when Eliza told them to move closer together. She placed her right hand on the small of Kara’s back while trying not to die as Kara’s left hand rested loosely on her hip. Her heart raced in her chest, and when she finally made it outside with Kara to enter her limousine, she released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.

It was a quarter before nine; fifteen minutes left before the start of the dance. Lena wasn’t in a rush to get there. They had enough time left, and she doubted Kara would mind it if they arrived five minutes after it begun.

Lena opened the door of her limousine. “After you,” she insisted, making a gesture with her hand.

“I didn’t know you were such a gentlewoman.”

“Perhaps I’m full of surprises,” Lena said with a shrug.

Once they were both settled in the limousine, Lena told Winslow to drive to school. She hoped this evening would go reasonably smooth. She expected curious glances, and if students stuck to that, she would appreciate it. Although after what Sam did to Mike, the name-calling had died down significantly. She couldn’t believe her best friend kneed him. Sam had some nerve doing that after she had called dibs.

On second thought, her mother would have lost it if she got called into the principal’s office. Lena knew she ought to stay out of trouble to avoid drawing attention. Four weeks passed since her mother left on a business trip, and so far she didn’t get a single text, call, letter or e-mail. It hurt more than she was willing to admit.

“Lena,” Kara’s soft voice rang out. “Are you okay?”

Lena looked up at Kara. “Why do you ask?” she wondered aloud, but her question was answered when Kara caught a teardrop with her thumb.

“Oh,” Lena whispered. She had no idea she was tearing up. “I was thinking about my mother.”

Kara laced her fingers with Lena’s and squeezed her hand. “Still no word from her?”

Lena shook her head. She was used to it, though that did nothing to ease the sting of rejection and neglect. Okay, the latter wasn’t entirely accurate. Rosita prepared her meals, which was something her mother arranged. Plus, she had her driver to take her places.

“How about we ditch the dance and have a movie night with ice cream instead?” Kara suggested. “We can fail again at building a fort, together.”

Lena chuckled, and she loved how Kara made her feel better. “As tempting as that sounds, I was hoping to show off my dance moves,” she replied, and she didn’t want people questioning them why they didn’t make an appearance.

Not that it should matter what others thought, but Lena didn’t want anyone to gossip how they must have gone to a room somewhere to have sex. She knew it irked Kara how many students tried to get laid on a night like this, and they could both miss the rumor mill. Besides, she didn’t feel ready to take that step. She just turned sixteen a few months ago.

“I hope they’re better than your twister moves,” Kara said with a giggle. “I’m sorry, I had to,” she added when Lena gasped.

“Don’t be surprised if I step onto your toes tonight.”

“I guess that would make us even.”

Lena gasped again. “Kara Danvers, you have quite the quick tongue,” she exclaimed, intrigued. “Just for the record, it’s not that easy to step on my toes.”

Kara’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Okay, I’ll sit here, and I’ll nod,” she replied, doing precisely that. “And I’ll pretend I believe you.”

Lena didn’t know whether to hug Kara or strangle her or ditch her on the side of the road. It was highly attractive to her how effortlessly and shamelessly Kara teased her. She loved that about Kara. It was interesting how moments ago, she felt sad, and now she smiled.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sappy love songs played in the gym where they held the dance. Half of the students stood to the side like wallflowers while the other half attempted showing off their moves. Two long tables were put together next to the exit. They served apple juice, orange juice, and water. Miss Ardeen and Mister Lames stood near the doorway, making it far too visible they kept an eye out for students who might try to spike the drinks.

Sam noticed some students murmuring while they looked her way, but she didn’t care about them. All that mattered was her date; Alex. Before they arrived, she had complimented Alex on her dark blue dress while Alex told her she looked amazing in a suit.

“Hey,” Sam said, touching Alex’s hand with the tip of her pinkie. “You okay?” she inquired, noticing how Alex’s eyes darted around the room.

“Y-yes,” Alex answered, moving her eyes towards Sam.

“I’ll get us some drinks,” Sam said, but before she could walk away, Alex grasped her hand.

Alex rolled her lips into her mouth. “Dance with me first?” she asked, palm sweaty, but Sam didn’t mind.

Sam smiled. Drinks could wait, she wasn’t that thirsty anyway. “Of course,” she agreed, following Alex to the middle of the gym. “Would you like to lead or is it okay if I do?”

“I, uh, I don’t know how to lead,” Alex answered, hands shaking a little.

“No worries, I got you,” Sam assured Alex, running her thumbs over the back of Alex’s hands for a moment, hoping she wasn’t making it worse.

Sam put a hand on Alex’s hip and held one of her hands with the other while Alex’s free hand settled on her shoulder. She sighed quietly, out of contentment at their proximity, at being this close to the girl of her dreams.

Slowly but surely, Alex relaxed, and their eyes locked as they swayed to the rhythm of the music.

Sam gently moved her hand up to Alex’s chin, coaxing her head upwards. She watched how the reflections of the disco ball mixed with the lights complemented the brightness of Alex’s eyes, showing a twinkle in them with an emotion so intense, she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. 

It felt as if Alex could see right through her. Sam ran her thumb across Alex’s lips in a moment of weakness, wanting nothing more than to kiss her, but she caught herself. She heard Alex make a sharp intake of air when she pressed her lips to her cheek for a second.

Alex’s lips parted slightly so when Sam leaned away, and when Sam moved away further, she frowned.

Sam twirled Alex, and when she pulled her back, she pushed her front into Alex’s back, moving slowly from side to side to the flow of the music. “I’ll be your dream, I’ll be your wish, I’ll be your fantasy,” she sang quietly in Alex’s ear. “I’ll be your hope, I’ll be your love, be everything that you need.”

Alex hummed along with the music, but she didn’t sing.

When Sam spun Alex again, she did it so they could face each other again. She had a feeling how together, they could dance the night away. While the lyrics belonged to a song, every word rang true. She had real feelings for Alex, she truly, madly, deeply did.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The music was a little too loud for Kara’s liking. It felt as if the volume was higher than last year, which made her consider suggesting once more to Lena how they could have a movie night, but Lena mentioned she wanted to show off her moves. She didn’t want to be rude by not even having so much as one dance with Lena.

Lena exchanged a smile with Sam. “Your sister looks like she’s having a good time,” she said to Kara.

Kara took a peek at the middle of the gym where Sam and Alex swayed together. “Yeah,” she sighed contentedly, happy seeing her sister smile.

Alex reminded Kara of the reason why she was at the dance in the first place. All of this snowballed after she wanted to ensure her sister didn’t have a miserable night. She knew Sam liked Alex because she overheard pieces of conversations here and there, and she still had the feeling her sister liked Sam back.

Kara thought the dance was a night she would just have to suck up and deal with, but being here with Lena wasn’t bad at all. She always had a good time with Lena, so this might be the first dance she could enjoy.

“I’m thirsty,” Kara said, glancing at the drinks. “Which drink do you want?”

“Apple juice.”

“Okay,” Kara nodded. “I’ll be right back,” she assured Lena.

While Kara grabbed two cups, she felt someone sliding next to her. There was a strong scent of perfume, which nearly had her cough. When she turned to the side, making sure she didn’t spill the drinks, she saw it was Maggie.

“Why did you bathe in perfume?” Kara blurted out. “Oh Ra-God, I’m sorry. That was so rude of me,” she said, shocked those words came out of her mouth, but to her relief, Maggie appeared to laugh.

Maggie shook the jacket of her suit. “It’s Leslie’s,” she sighed, scrunching up her nose a little. “She’s been all over me, not that I’m complaining,” she explained with a wink which made Kara cringe just a tad.

“You look nice tonight,” Maggie said, letting her eyes flicker down Kara’s dress for a moment. “Blue is a good color on you.”

“Erm, thanks,” Kara replied, shifting from one foot onto the other. “You look nice, too,” she mumbled quickly, wanting to leave as soon as possible before she started receiving the kind of comments that made her nauseous.

“I’m doing it again, aren’t I?” Maggie asked with an audible sigh. “Look, I don’t mean to.”

Kara frowned. “Don’t mean to what?”

“Make you uncomfortable,” Maggie answered, getting a cup of orange juice. “It happened when we went shopping, and it’s happening again. I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. It’s not you, it’s me,” Kara explained, almost spilling Lena’s drink and hers when she remembered a beat too late she couldn’t fidget with her glasses while she had her hands full. “You’re just being nice, and I’m being weird.”

“You’re not being weird, little Danvers. Every person is different. If something makes you uncomfortable, that’s not something you need to apologize for. We all have different comfort zones, you know? If a guy talked to me the way I spoke to you when we went shopping, I’d have been really uncomfortable, too.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “No, wait, it’s not because you’re a girl,” she rushed to say, her voice high-pitched and panicky.

“Ah, shucks, no. I should have worded that better. What I meant is that I understand where you’re coming from,” Maggie explained, taking a sip from her cup. “Who you are or aren’t attracted to doesn’t matter, that’s your business.”

Kara sighed quietly. “I’m not attracted to anyone,” she muttered, mostly to herself, but from the look on Maggie’s face, she caught that. “Not sexually at least,” she added in an afterthought, unsure why she felt the need to clarify.

“Okay, that’s cool.”

Kara noticed Lena kept glancing their way. Rao, the drinks. She told Lena she was going to be right back. “I should go,” she said, nodding her head towards Lena. “Tell Leslie perfume and water are two different things. No wait, don’t tell her I said that that’s too rude.”

“Oh Rao,” Kara whispered when she bumped into one of her teachers. “I’m so sorry, Miss Ardeen.”

Miss Ardeen’s hands rested on Kara’s shoulders for a moment, steadying her. “It’s alright, Kara,” she replied with a polite smile. “No damage is done. Are you having a super night tonight?”

“I wouldn’t say super, but it’s okay so far,” Kara answered, peering past her science teacher to look at Lena, who to her surprise didn’t appear impatient in the slightest. “I should go. I promised my friend a dance.”

Miss Ardeen followed Kara’s line of sight. “Of course,” she said, her smile as sweet as her voice. “I’m about to ask them to lower the volume. I hope that doesn’t put a damper on your night.”

“Not at all,” Kara replied a little too fast, a little too eager. She was relieved her teacher shared her mindset of how the music was too loud. “Are you a mind reader?” she asked with a chuckle, merely kidding.

Miss Ardeen chuckled as well. “I’m not that kind of alien,” she answered with a wink.

Kara’s jaw dropped as she watched Miss Ardeen’s retreating form. Oh, Rao, her science teacher was an alien! She didn’t understand why Miss Ardeen revealed that to her, which made her wonder if her teacher knew about her.

“Kara?” Lena called out, weaving through the swarm of students. “Is everything alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The buzz of the music drummed in Alex’s ears. There were conversations taking place all around her, but she didn’t pay any mind to any of them. Her palms felt sweaty to the point where she had to watch she didn’t let her cup slip. She didn’t want to become the laughing stock of the school by spilling her drink over her dress.

Not that it mattered much what her peers thought. Alex only had one month of high school left to go, for which she was glad. It was quite the rollercoaster. When she started high school, she suddenly had a sister. She grew close to Vicky, who eventually left, and then there was Sam. It was enough to make her head spin.

“Can we go outside for a bit?” Alex asked Sam, putting her now empty plastic cup on the table. “I want to get some fresh air,” she explained, and god, she needed it.

Sam nodded. She downed her drink, placed her cup next to Alex’s, and followed her.

Alex walked out of the gym, through the halls, at a pace that almost required Sam to jog to keep up with her. Once outside, she took a shuddering breath and looked at Sam who stood right in front of her.

“Are you okay?” Sam asked, eyes searching Alex’s. “I can take you home if you want to leave.”

Alex lost herself in Sam’s eyes. She couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t hold back her desire to act upon feelings she struggled to understand. In the spur of the moment, she cupped Sam’s cheeks and pulled her into her. Her eyes fluttered shut as their lips met.

Kissing Sam felt like finding her footing after she was free-falling for so long. Sam’s lips were soft against Alex’s. She hoped hers weren’t too chapped from all the time she spent biting her lip. It made sense now why people compared kissing to fireworks, only it felt more like a fire which spread throughout her body, all the way down to the tips of her fingers and her toes.

Sam responded to the kiss. She put her hands on Alex’s hips, and with a thrust, she brought their bodies flush together, drawing a throaty moan from Alex’s mouth. Her hands began to move all over Alex’s back while her tongue caressed the seam of Alex’s lips.

Alex broke away instead of allowing their kiss to deepen, cheeks flushed, and eyes wide. Her heart stuttered in her chest as reality slowly sank in. She kissed Sam! And she liked it! Sam kissed her back, so it was probably true Sam was into her. On the inside, she screamed, but on the outside, no words came out.

“Alex…,” Sam husked, chest heaving. She lifted a hand, but when Alex took a step back, she dropped it, throat bobbing as she swallowed.

Alex shook her head slightly while she staggered, feeling stunned she just did what she did. “I… I’m sorry,” she rushed out, and with one last glance at Sam, she turned around and left.

 


	11. Chapter 11

Sam sat on the couch, in the dark, sipping directly from a bottle of vodka she took out off Lucy’s liquor cabinet while the events of tonight played through her mind on repeat. She analyzed every part of it, dissected every minute she spent with Alex. When they danced together, they were having a good time, or at least she thought so.

She could tell Alex was nervous tonight, but then they went outside, and Alex took Sam by surprise when she kissed her. She wished that was where the unexpected moments would have stopped because having Alex panic and run out on her was painful to watch. All she wanted was to run after her, but she figured she had to give Alex some space.

That kiss felt like a dream come true for Sam, but a cold shower followed it. She didn’t return to the dance. Instead, she went straight home. It was messy when people were so deep in the closet they barely realized they were there to begin with, and she knew that in advance, but it was impossible not to let her feelings grow.

Sam couldn’t control the way she felt, and neither could Alex. She didn’t even make the first move, despite all those moments where she wanted to, including tonight, and yet she risked losing her friendship with Alex. Maybe she went too far when she kissed Alex back, but it felt right, and she couldn’t have Alex think it was one-sided.

Footsteps came closer to the couch. Fingers wrapped around the bottle, but Sam had a vice-like grip on it, and zero intention of letting go until she emptied every single drop. Drinking wasn’t the answer, but neither was not drinking.

“Sam,” Reign sighed, yanking until Sam was forced to let go. She put the bottle down on the table, far enough to leave it out of Sam’s immediate reach, and sat down next to Sam.

It was quiet for a moment. Tears slid silently past Sam’s cheeks while Reign caressed her back. In her attempt not to make a sound, she choked on a sob, and then more tears escaped her until she couldn’t stop the flood anymore.

“I got you,” Reign said, giving Sam a sideways hug. “How about you tell me what’s got you all upset, so I know who to kill, hm?”

Sam shook her head, smile faint. “Al-Alex kissed m-me,” she whispered through her tears. “I kissed her b-back and she… she left.”

“Did she say anything before she left?”

Sam took a deep, shuddering breath. “She panicked. I could tell she did,” she said, wringing her hands together while she eyed what was left of the vodka. “She said she was sorry.”

“I think she needs some time and space. She’ll come around. I can tell she likes you.”

“What if she hates me for kissing her back? I don’t know if I did the right thing. Maybe I took it too far. When I kissed her back, I tried to deepen our kiss, and that must have spooked her. And my hands, god, why didn’t I keep them to myself? I just had to touch her hips and press closer like some horny teenage boy. What if Alex thinks I was trying to have sex with her because I had sex with someone last year after the dance? What if she thinks she’s just a name on some list for me?”

Sam couldn’t hold back her waterfall of words when she went deeper down the rabbit hole. She didn’t want to lose Alex, not after they finally established a friendship. Everything was going so well, and the night went smooth, but then that kiss happened. It felt amazing until Alex panicked.

Reign cradled Sam’s face in her hands, thumbing at her tears. “I doubt Alex would think that lowly of you, but if she does, then she doesn’t deserve you. How about we take a few deep breaths together, and you’ll give this some time, okay?”

“Okay,” Sam whispered, leaning away, bringing her hands up to her face. “I hate it when I cry. It makes me feel so weak.”

“You’re not weak for letting your emotions out. Crying and talking is better than drinking.”

“Hey,” Lucy said, shuffling her slippers over the floor. She flicked on the light and glanced at Sam. “Okay, who am I killing?”

Sam managed a slight chuckle, then. “Give it a break you two. It’s sweet you’d both be so quick to fight my battles for me, but I think I can fight them by myself,” she expressed, although this wasn’t about a fight.

Lucy plopped down next to Sam. “This is about Alex, ain’t it?” she asked, pulling Sam into a hug when Sam burst out into tears all over again.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara bounced her leg up and down. She couldn’t help it. When she left the dance with Lena, she looked around for her sister, but she couldn’t find her, and she didn’t see Sam anywhere either. Eventually, she sent a text to Alex to ask where she went. The only response she got was a brief 'home'.

“Thanks for the ride,” Kara said, smile a little forced when the limousine arrived outside the Danvers’ house. “I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Kara, I-” Lena faltered. She bit her lip while her eyes flitted down for a second. “I had a wonderful time tonight. Thank you for not stepping on my toes.”

Kara chuckled. “Thank you for not stepping on mine either. Your dance moves are better than your twitter moves,” she replied, drawing in a sharp breath when Lena leaned closer.

Kara was surprised when Lena kissed her lightly on the cheek, before bidding her good night. She smiled at her, and then she got out of the car so she could see what was up with her sister.

Alex was in their bedroom, on her bed, surrounded by handfuls of tissues with another clutched in her hand as tears rolled down her cheeks. She barely looked up when Kara entered. Her cheeks and nose were red.

“Alex?”

“I ruined everything. She’s going to hate me. I panicked and then I ran away, and… who even does that? She….I… we were there together, and I ditched her.”

“I’m here,” Kara said, moving closer to her sister. “What happened?”

“Tonight I-I need some water,” Alex replied, voice breaking, eyes filled with fresh tears.

“I’ll go get you a glass.”

Kara used her speed to get her sister some water, and when she returned, she saw how much Alex’s hand shook while she drank gingerly. She gave her sister time to breathe, to collect her thoughts. Whatever it was, she was here for Alex.

Alex didn’t put the glass aside until she downed it completely. She ran a hand through her hair, tucking it behind her ear. “I kissed Sam tonight,” she blurted out in a rush of air, barely meeting Kara’s eyes as she said it. “We – I asked her if we could go outside for a bit, to get some air, and it happened. I looked at her, and I felt something I’ve been suppressing. So I kissed her. And she kissed me back, but then I panicked, and I left. I just… left her standing there,” she explained, grasping a tissue.

Kara sat down next to Alex and listened. She could tell that this was important.

“It felt right, but it was impulsive,” Alex continued, squeezing Kara’s hand with a soft look of appreciation. “I didn’t mean to spring it on Sam like that. I don’t want her to think I only kissed her because of what some students do during and after the dance. There are feelings I’ve struggled to understand. I think I’m – I think I… like girls. Really like girls. And not guys because I’ve never – it just doesn’t click.”

“Okay,” Kara replied, running her thumb over the back of Alex’s hand. “It’s good if you’re learning to understand your feelings.”

“I think I’m a lesbian,” Alex whispered, her voice small. “But,” she added, “what if I’m wrong? I thought I was straight for eighteen years. I didn’t think I could be anything else, but lately, I realized I’m not straight. When I kissed Sam, I wanted to kiss her more. What if I’m not a lesbian? What if I come out and I’m wrong, and people think I lied to them?”

“Hey, it’s okay if you’re not hundred percent sure. You’re allowed to take all the time you need to figure things out for yourself. If you come out as a lesbian and a year from now or even a week from now, you realize you’re bisexual or pansexual, or anything really, then that’s okay. Nobody said you have to be positively sure. You’re allowed to have doubts, to explore until you find something that feels comfortable for you. Sexuality is fluid, Alex. The only person you’d be lying to is yourself if you think you’re obligated to choose a label and stick to it for the rest of your life. No matter what you do or don’t come out as you’re my sister. I love you, and I’ll always have your back.”

Alex threw her arms around Kara’s neck. “I’m happy we’re sisters, Kar,” she sniffled. “I don’t know what I’d do without you. I lied to myself for so long, and I’m sick of it, I’m sick of ignoring what I feel for Sam. She’s special. I know she has a daughter, and it’s a lot, but I don’t care. All I want is to hold her hand, and feed her peanut butter & jelly sandwiches during picnics at the park.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Alex moved her food around her plate while she watched Sam from afar. They all agreed to share a table during their lunch breaks, but today, now that the weekend after the dance passed by, Sam sat at a different table with Lena. She figured it was her fault for ditching Sam, for running out on her.

“Hey,” Maggie said, nudging Alex’s elbow with hers. “What gives?” she asked, glancing briefly at Alex’s untouched food, and then at Alex.

Alex shrugged.

“So, Maggie,” Kara said, much to Alex’s gratitude who was relieved for the interruption. “How was your night with Leslie?”

Maggie grinned while she wrapped her fingers around her bottle of water. “It was interesting,” she answered, twisting the cap off her bottle. “We went to her place after the dance. I spent the night there.”

Alex’s fork clattered onto her plate. She wanted to ask something, but she bit her tongue because it wasn’t her business. The possibility Leslie used Maggie aggravated her. Sure, Maggie mentioned she wasn’t looking for anything serious, but she didn’t want her friend to be a number on someone’s list.

“Forget I asked,” Kara mumbled, toying with the wrapper from a candy bar.

“You can both relax,” Maggie chuckled. “Nothing happened. Leslie isn’t the player you two seem to think she is. We kissed, but that was it. She lent me some pajamas, and she let me sleep in her bed while she slept on the couch.”

“Oh, by the way,” Maggie added. “She lives with one of the teachers. I was shocked to find out.”

“Hmm, I heard she was a foster kid,” Alex said, remembering she caught word about that before, last year. “I didn’t know she got adopted by one of our teachers.”

“Not adopted,” Maggie corrected. “I don’t know. It’s something about a second chance and her wanting a better life for Leslie. She even has a nickname for Leslie. Livewire. Anyway, I said too much. She didn’t tell me not to say anything to people, but I figure she wouldn’t want me to share, so I should probably shut up.”

“Probably,” Kara agreed. “I wonder which teacher she lives with.”

Alex wondered about that as well, but she wasn’t going to ask. People were entitled to their secrets. The nickname seemed a little odd, although people tended to do that sort of stuff with family and whatnot.

Alex’s eyes landed on Sam again, just as Sam looked her way. “Fuck this,” she muttered, pushing her tray aside, getting up. She hated the distance which was now between them, a distance which shouldn’t be there.

“Hi, Sam,” Alex said when she reached her table. “And Lena,” she added thoughtfully.

“Hello,” Lena replied, short but polite.

“Hey, Alex,” Sam greeted, shifting on her seat. Her eyes darted around, and she plucked at the skin next to her nails.

Alex swallowed, hard. She had a feeling she upset Sam, which was never her intention, not in a million years. Now that she stood in front of Sam, she felt her courage sink into her shoes, but she couldn’t run away again.

“I was wondering,” Alex began, feeling the weight of curious eyes on her. She had to bite the bullet. “Would you like to go out with me sometime?” she asked Sam, surprised she managed to get this far without fainting or chickening out.

“Out,” Sam repeated, narrowing her eyes slightly. “Are you asking me out on a date?” she questioned, smiling when Alex nodded. “Yes, I’d love to. Anytime, yes.”

“Okay, good,” Alex replied, releasing a deep breath. “Now that we’ve established that, could you both get your ass to our table to eat lunch with us?” she commented, nodding her head toward Kara and Maggie.

Lena bit back a smile. “I like her,” she said to Sam, winking as she got up.

Sam stared at Alex for a moment before she picked up her tray. “Confidence looks good on you,” she hummed as she walked past Alex.

Alex felt like someone needed to pinch her to confirm Sam said yes when she asked her out. When she walked back to her table, she realized no details were mentioned yet. “How about Friday?” she asked Sam, promptly opting to sit next to her because she might as well. “I can pick you up at eight.”

Sam’s smile was immediate and infectious. “It’s a date,” she answered, chuckling while Maggie whooped.

Alex’s cheeks heated up as it sunk in little by little how Kara, Lena, and Maggie knew now that she asked Sam out, but it was okay. It was something she was able to accept. She didn’t mind them knowing because she knew they accepted her. Maggie already had more than a clue before, and she was a lesbian herself. Lena was also a lesbian, so it was common sense she had no issues with it, and she had a good talk with Kara, so she knew she had all of their support.

“What was the weather in Narnia like?” Maggie asked Alex, grinning while Sam told her she was bad. “Did you say hello to Aslan?”

“Oh my god,” Alex whispered. “Is this a closet joke? You suck, Sawyer. I don’t know why I’m friends with you,” she huffed, but she smiled because she could get used to this being her new reality.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena came home to find a suitcase in the hall, near the door. She wondered if it could finally be, after weeks of not seeing or hearing anything from her mother. With a tight, slightly nervous smile, she walked into the kitchen. Her smile slipped at the sight of one plate, indicating nothing had changed.

“Where is mother?” Lena calmly asked Rosita, keeping her voice as disinterested as possible, although around Rosita that wasn’t necessary. Her mother taught her to school her emotions. It was a force of habit.

“Your mother is in her bedroom with a headache,” Rosita answered, eyes widening when Lena walked over to the staircase. “She specifically requested not to be disturbed, corazón.”

Lena paused with her right foot on the first step. “She’s leaving again soon, isn’t she?” she asked, scoffing bitterly when Rosita confirmed she was right. “When?”

“At dawn.”

Lena balled her fists. She felt angry, sad, disappointed, but not surprised. Her mother was supposed to be there for her, not walk out on her time and time again. Couldn’t her mother see how she yearned for a fraction of her affection? She wanted to lash out as much as she wanted to cry. Would it kill her mother to hug her once? Just once?

Tears welled up in Lena’s eyes, and the fact she wasn’t supposed to cry made it worse. She saw Rosita’s hand was mid-air, close to reach out for her, but Rosita kept glancing up the stairs as if she expected Lillian to appear at the top of the steps any moment, and fire her for even thinking of comforting the child she never saw as one of hers.

Lena took another step, determined to give her mother a piece of her mind. Rosita’s pleading voice snapped her back to reality. If she marched up to her mother’s bedroom, Rosita could get fired over failing to keep her out of it, and she couldn’t do that to the woman who prepared her meals day in day out.

Lena deflated and went to sit at the table to eat a meal she had no appetite for but knew Rosita spent time and energy preparing. It was pathetic how she longed for something she could never have. Her mother didn’t love her, and that was always going to leave a gap inside of her chest which she couldn’t fill. Weeks of nothing and her mother couldn’t even give her a simple hello or ask about her life, not that her mother cared.

Lena wasn’t quick to be on her phone while she sat at the table because it was one of her mother’s rules, but she didn’t care. She sent a text to Reign, feeling the need to talk to her, and soon enough, one message turned into an entire conversation.

Later that night, Lena couldn’t sleep. She texted Reign, and to her shock, Reign came over in the middle of the night, meeting up on the driveway, in her pajama no less, just to give her the hug she needed.

“My mother would kill you if she knew you were here,” Lena chuckled through her tears. “Thanks, Reign.”

“When you turn eighteen, I’m getting you out of here,” Reign promised. “Unless you allow me to fight for custody.”

Lena stepped back and shook her head. “My mother’s lawyers would destroy you in court, and it’s expensive. I can’t let you do that for me. I need to toughen up, that’s all. I’m a Luthor, I should know better.”

Reign sighed and wrapped her arms around Lena. “If that woman snuffs out the light inside of you I’m going to kill her,” she grumbled. “All you need to do is be yourself. Don’t change yourself for that cold-hearted bitch.”

“Rey,” Lena whispered, gasping. “She’s my mother.”

“She’s still a bitch.”

 


	12. Chapter 12

Alex was roughly ten minutes early to pick up Sam, so she waited in her car to avoid looking too eager or like she wanted to rush Sam. She tapped her fingers onto her wheel, humming while she listened to the radio.

“I’m in love with the shape of you, we push and pull like a magnet do,” Alex sang aloud, moving her head from left to right. “Although my heart is falling too, I’m in love with-”

Alex nearly jumped out of her skin when the door on the passenger’s side swung open. At that moment, she saw she had the windows rolled down because of the pre-summer heat.

“In love with?” Sam inquired with a cheeky grin. “Don’t stop because I’m here. You sing beautifully. I could stand here all night, listening to you sing.”

Alex cracked a smile. “Eavesdropper,” she teased, raking her eyes down Sam’s body. She lowered the volume of the radio. “You look…,” she tried, but she had no words.

The shorts Sam had on showed off her legs, unlike Alex who opted for skinny black jeans. Her flannel shirt was tucked into her pants.

Alex couldn’t stop staring at Sam’s endless legs. She never felt gayer in her life than she did right now, shamelessly checking out the girl who made her heart swoon.

“You look…,” Sam said, leaving a lengthy pause, “too.”

“Shut up,” Alex laughed. “Are you going to get in?”

“Mhmm, bossy,” Sam mused, climbing into the car, fastening the seatbelt.

“Bring Cinderella home before midnight!” Lucy shouted from where she stood near the front door of the duplex.

“Keep her!” Reign yelled instead, muffling Lucy with her hand.

“She sure is a keeper,” Alex mumbled, blushing when Sam smiled at her. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?” she asked, groaning when Sam nodded.

Alex started her car. “Look, about the dance,” she began hesitantly. “I’m sorry I freaked out.”

“It’s fine, Alex. You needed time, and I respect that. If something goes too fast for you, you can always tell me. If you’d rather cancel this date, that’s okay, too. Just drop me off at the library, so Luce doesn’t think I’m a loser.”

Alex chuckled a little. “I’m not going to ditch you, not tonight,” she replied, happy Sam gave her a chance after she panicked.

On their drive to the theater, they talked, but neither one of them brought up the dance again. Alex couldn’t stop thinking about how she kissed Sam, and how Sam kissed her back. She would have stared at Sam’s lips if she didn’t have to keep her eyes on the road.

When they arrived, Alex paid for their movie tickets. She asked Sam out, so it was only fair. They chose seats all the way in the back, giggling as they stumbled.

Alex wasn’t sure if they entered the right room, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was Sam’s company. The downside of the movies, she realized, was how quickly she got shushed by strangers when she tried to talk to Sam.

Sam put her hand on the armrest, palm upwards. Her eyes were on Alex far more than they were on the screen.

Alex swallowed while she turned her head to the side. Even in the dark, she saw the twinkle in Sam’s eyes. Her eyes flitted down to Sam’s hand. Slowly but surely, she placed her hand in Sam’s, melting on the inside as they sat holding hands. She hoped her palm wasn’t too sweaty because she couldn’t always help it when she felt nervous. The nerves she experienced were good ones though.

“I’ve liked you for quite some time,” Sam confessed in a whisper.

Alex’s cheeks darkened. “I like you, too,” she admitted.

Sam used her free hand to cup Alex’s jaw, thumb caressing her cheek. It was soft and tender. Each brush drew them closer together.

Alex leaned further into Sam, breath ghosting near her lips. “Can I kiss you?” she asked, and while she knew they were in public, they were at the movies, and it was dark. She wanted to feel Sam’s lips on hers.

Sam answered by pressing her lips to Alex’s. The kiss was chaste and soft, hardly more than a peck.

When Sam pulled away, Alex chased her lips, which led to a longer kiss. Lips overlapped lips while she slid her hands to the back of Sam’s neck. She felt Sam’s tongue caress her lips, and this time she didn’t panic. Instead, she parted her lips. When their tongues met for the first time, Alex forgot where they were.

Alex’s hands wandered more than she realized, but Sam’s hands on hers as she unbuttoned the first button of her flannel shirt brought her back down to earth. She put a small distance between them, cheeks embarrassingly red.

“I’m sorry,” Alex whispered, dropping her hands as if burned. “I got carried away.”

“It’s cute,” Sam replied with a smile. “But let’s not go there yet.”

“Definitely not yet,” Alex agreed, blushing harder because it sounded like a promise that someday they would.

“Especially not here,” Sam added, fisting Alex’s shirt, tugging until their lips met again.

Alex happily responded to the kiss. She felt much freer now that she accepted she liked girls, one in particular. They didn’t see so much as five minutes of the movie. Instead, they continued kissing each other, not that she minded one bit.

When the credits rolled, they had to break apart to leave the theater, but neither of them wanted to go home yet, so they went to the park for a late night stroll.

“I’m sorry, again, for almost feeling you up,” Alex apologized while she held Sam’s hand, swinging their arms back and forth as they walked.

“It’s alright. I understand what it feels like to get caught up in the moment. If it makes you feel any better, my hands wandered too much, too. Back at the dance,” Sam replied, moving to lean against a tree, pulling Alex into her arms. “I put them on your hips to bring your body closer to mine.”

“Mhmm,” Alex hummed, remembering that moment. “It was hot.”

“I don’t want this night to end,” Alex sighed.

“Me neither,” Sam agreed, kissing Alex’s cheek. “But we can have more nights like this if you want.”

Alex indubitably wanted to because all of this felt right. She brushed Sam’s lips with hers, slowly flitting their mouths together, relieved she no longer repressed her feelings. While it felt scary to feel so much for someone, she was ready to take the leap.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena gathered heaps of pillows for another attempt at building a pillow fort with Kara. Her mother would never approve of her having a friend over two weeks before the end of her school year, but her mother wasn’t home anyway, so it didn’t matter what she did. As far as her mother was concerned, she could be out drinking all night, and her mother wouldn’t bat an eye. Not that she was allowed to go anywhere, but it wasn’t like her mother kept a record of what she did.

Lena’s grades were fine. Spending time with Kara didn’t change that, and she was glad Kara’s parents agreed. Kara was also a top student, after all. With her mother gone so often, spending time with her friends was one of the things which kept her sane.

“That’s a lot of pillows,” Kara commented. “One of these days we’ll manage to build a fort that won’t collapse.”

“It’s odd how we can build a robot no problem, but we can’t put some blankets and pillows together.”

“Hmm, but science is different. That’s easy,” Kara replied, grabbing two pillows. “Maybe the feather ratio is off in these pillows.”

“Or we could admit we suck at this,” Lena said, chuckling while Kara pouted. “I think I have some super glue around here somewhere,” she explained while she rummaged through her things, and her mother wouldn’t appreciate her gluing pillows together one bit, but it would be a miracle if her mother noticed.

“You’re really going to glue these pillows together?” Kara asked, gaping. “If you’re going to do that, you might as well glide down the stairs on a mattress like they do in Princess Diaries two.”

Lena raised a brow and dropped what she was doing. “That sounds oddly specific,” she noted, regarding Kara with curiosity. “You’ve thought about that before, haven’t you?”

“Maybe I totally definitely absolutely might have.”

“Dork,” Lena whispered. Damn, she felt like pulling Kara into a kiss because it was impossible not to be into to her.

Lena stalked over to the bed, and she knew this was crazy, but god, the things she was willing to do for a girl she liked didn’t allow her to think straight. She huffed while she tried to drag her mattress off of her bed.

“Can you give me a hand?” Lena requested. “I’d greatly appreciate it.”

Kara stared at Lena, absolutely dumbfounded. “Are you… do you…really?”

The instant glee on Kara’s face when Lena gave her mattress another tug melted her heart into a puddle on the floor. When Kara gave her a hand, she hoped neither of them would get bruised or break something. She could live with it if she got hurt, but it was unacceptable for Kara to get hurt, and not only because she had no idea what she would say to Kara’s parents.

“One thing,” Lena said while they placed her mattress at the top of the stairs. “If by any chance a car pulls up on the driveway, run and leave as fast as you can.”

Lena wished she was kidding, but she wasn’t. She had no idea when her mother was going to be back. If her mother caught her going down the stairs on a mattress, the house would be too small for the fit she would throw, and she didn’t want to involve Kara in that.

“Um…,” Kara whispered, frowning. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

Lena wondered if deep down, subconsciously, she wanted to get in trouble so her mother might finally notice her, even if it was negatively. She didn’t know whether to cry or laugh how she would take her mother yelling at her over her mother not saying a single word to her. The lingering silence and continuously being avoided was unbearable. 

Kara sat down on the mattress and patted the space in front of her. “Together?” she offered with a sweet smile.

Lena contemplated waiting at the bottom of the stairs in case she needed to catch Kara, so she didn’t get hurt. There were no seatbelts, and in hindsight, it was quite reckless. “Together,” she agreed, sitting in front of Kara.

What Lena didn’t prepare for was Kara winding her arms around her. When the mattress moved, she closed her eyes because oh god how could she ever think going down the stairs like this was a good idea? In the movie Kara mentioned, it was an actual slide, not stairs.

Lena felt the small bumps of every step. When it stopped, she opened her eyes and saw they were now on the floor, unharmed.

“Uh oh,” Kara said, scrambling up.

Lena got up as well. She was about to ask why Kara appeared panicked out of the blue, but then she heard it, the sound of a car pulling up on the driveway. No way. She couldn’t believe she was this unlucky for her mother to choose this moment to come home. Oh, she was going to be toast.

Kara glanced at Lena. She wasn’t running or leaving like Lena told her. Instead, a look of determination crossed her face.

Lena let out a tiny shriek when Kara lifted her. She found herself slung over Kara’s shoulder like a bag of potatoes. Next thing she knew, Kara grasped the mattress and flew upstairs. Flew!

“You’re a super,” was all Lena could say when they were upstairs, in her room, hiding under the bed.

Kara gulped audibly. She pushed her glasses higher up the bridge of her nose.

Lena reached for Kara’s hand. “I can’t believe you did that,” she whispered. “Exposing yourself to me, to help me. Your secret is safe with me. I promise. I won’t tell anyone, ever,” she vowed, making a cross over her heart with her other hand under Kara’s curious gaze.

It was a good thing Lena was already on the floor. Otherwise, her legs would have given out when she felt the soft press of Kara’s lips on her cheek.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara had a broad smile on her face. She plopped down on her bed, grabbed her pillow, and screamed into it for a moment. “Rao, Lena is amazing!” she exclaimed happily while Alex frowned at her.

Alex closed the book she was paging through. She put it on the bedside table and went to sit next to Kara. “Oh?” she inquired. “Amazing, hm?”

“Uh-huh,” Kara confirmed with a nod. “We ate a lot of ice cream, and we tried to build a pillow fort together. She was going to glue her pillows together because we always fail at making a decent fort that doesn’t collapse on top of us, but we don’t give up, we keep trying. One day we’ll manage to build one. It can’t be that hard. It takes some practice, that’s all.”

“Pillow forts and ice cream sound fun,” Alex replied with a smile.

Kara nodded because it was. “We went down the stairs on her mattress!”

Alex’s eyes widened. “You what?” she asked, gasping. “Oh my god, do you know how dangerous that is? What was it like? Did you bump into anything?”

“It was fine. I made sure of it.”

“Don’t tell me you flew that mattress like Aladdin’s carpet or something,” Alex said with a chuckle.

“No, silly,” Kara replied, giggling, but then her humor faded a little to take place for something far more serious. “I, um, her mother unexpectedly came home, and I couldn’t let Lena get in trouble for the mattress thing, so I sort of, exposed myself.”

“Tell me you’re kidding.”

Kara shook her head. “But it’s okay! Lena was cool about it, and she promised she won’t tell anyone. I’m glad she knows if I'm honest. It’s always tiring having to hide who I am. Sometimes I just want to be me without having to hide parts of myself. Lena is a really good friend. She’s very sweet, and amazing, and smart, and kind! We have so much fun together, and I love spending time with her. She’s special. I like it when she smiles, and when she laughs.”

“Um, Kara…,” Alex interrupted with a slight smile. “Do you like Lena?”

“Yes, of course, I like Lena,” Kara confirmed, feeling like she made that clear enough. “She’s a good friend.”

Alex bit back a smile and shook her head. “No, no,” she corrected, holding up her hands. “I meant, do you like-like Lena, as in wanting to date her like her? I know you’re not into people sexually, and that’s not what I’m trying to imply here. Maybe you’re into her romantically. It sounds as if you have a crush on her.”

Kara blinked her eyes. She didn’t realize it sounded like that to her sister. She gushed about Lena quite a bit, that much she was aware of, and she didn’t mind that she did because Lena was special.

“I don’t mean to offend you or invalidate you or anything,” Alex added quickly.

“You didn’t,” Kara assured her sister. “I don’t have a crush on Lena. I have a squish on her,” she corrected with a smile.

Alex’s eyebrows creased together. “A what?” she asked, scratching the back of her neck. “I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean.”

“A squish,” Kara repeated. “It’s pretty much the asexual equivalent of a crush, but a squish means not having an interest in forming a sexual relationship, or even a romantic one with the person you have a squish on. I like Lena, a lot, but I’m not necessarily seeking anything past friendship with her. To be honest, I don’t know how I’d feel about dating her because in relationships people generally start with kisses, and eventually it progresses in things I can’t give, so I don’t know if I’m relationship material.”

“Hey now, of course, you are relationship material,” Alex butted in, squeezing Kara’s hand. “Being asexual doesn’t make you any less dateable.”

“No, that’s… you’re right,” Kara admitted, chewing her lip. She was dateable, but she didn’t want anyone to adapt or hold back because of her. “But, err, anyway, a squish is a feeling of attraction, in a sense, but it’s more of a deep appreciation and liking. I admire Lena, and I want to be close to her and know more about her. A squish is a bit more than a friendly connection, but not like friends with benefits or anything. Rao, am I making any sense?”

“So you’re saying a squish is similar to a crush, but unlike with a crush you’re not out to date or be romantically involved with the person you have a squish on?”

“Yes!” Kara confirmed, happy her sister seemed to grasp the main gist of it because she doubted her rambles always made sense. “So that’s what I have on Lena, a squish."

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Alex said carefully. “Somewhere in your explanation, you mentioned you don’t know how you’d feel about dating Lena. Does that mean you’ve been thinking about dating her?”

“I… I’m not sure,” Kara sighed. “I think she might like me romantically. The idea of kissing her doesn’t repulse me or anything, but more would be too much, and she deserves someone who makes her feel desirable. I don’t know if I can match with someone who isn’t asexual like me.”

 


	13. Chapter 13

“How did it go when you told your parents?”

Alex bit her lip. She figured Sam was going to ask, considering she told her she was going to come out to her parents. It was a decision she made, not one others pushed her into because Sam even said it was okay if she needed more time.

“Nerve-wracking,” Alex answered, sitting down on the couch next to Sam. “But it went quite well,” she said with a relieved sigh.

She had Kara by her side when she came out. The best part was how they came out together, so they could support each other, but she couldn’t share that bit with Sam without outing her sister, which wasn’t her place. Tonight, Alex was going to spend the night at Sam’s home. It made butterflies erupt in her stomach.

“Yeah?” Sam asked, combing her fingers through Alex’s hair.

“They cried almost as much as I did,” Alex said, chuckling. God, she was such a teary-eyed mess. “We all hugged. They’re okay with me being a lesbian because they love me just the way I am.”

“I’m happy to hear they’re supportive,” Sam hummed, pulling Alex onto her lap. “I’m proud of you for taking that step.”

Alex straddled Sam’s waist, leaning in for a kiss.

“Safety first,” Lucy commented with a grin, walking past the couch.

Alex laughed as Sam chucked a pillow at Lucy. This household was different from the one she was used to, in a fun way. Despite the fact Lucy and Reign were around, and the blush on her cheeks, she stole another quick kiss.

“Cute,” Lucy said, smiling while Alex’s cheeks reddened.

“Ah, young love,” Reign mused. “I remember the good old days of our puppy love,” she said to Lucy, entwining their fingers.

“Whoa, easy there, granny,” Lucy laughed. “We’re still young. I mean, look at this rocking body,” she said, gesturing at her whole self. “And yours… damn.”

“Get a room,” Sam cut in.

“Let’s,” Lucy said, pulling Reign with her as she left the living room.

Alex was astounded when she heard a bedroom door shut. “Wow okay,” she whispered. “They’re very, um, to the point.”

“I hope they won’t be too loud,” Sam sighed, tracing a pattern on Alex’s back. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“I’m not,” Alex rushed out. “I’m surprised, that’s all. I don’t mind them doing whatever it is they’re doing.”

Sam patted Alex’s thigh until Alex shifted so she could get up. She stretched her arms, yawning just a little bit. “I’m going to check up on Ruby. I’ll be right back.”

“Wait,” Alex replied, catching Sam’s wrist. “Do you mind if I come with you?” she asked with a hopeful smile, thinking what a cutiepie Ruby was, and she could just about picture how adorable she looked while she slept in her crib.

Sam smiled. “We’ll have to tiptoe,” she whispered as they made their way to Ruby’s bedroom. “It’s silent, so she’s probably soundly asleep.”

“Can I help you with her tomorrow morning, or is that too much? I don’t want to overstep.”

Sam circled her arms around Alex, peppering her cheeks with kisses.

When Sam pulled away, Alex noticed her cheeks were wet. “Sam,” she whispered, cradling Sam’s face in her hands.

“You make me so happy,” Sam replied, kissing Alex again, on the lips this time. “It means a lot to me how relaxed you are about the fact I have a daughter.”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you?”

Sam frowned. “Tell me what?”

Alex took a step back, and another. “How I’m only dating you because you have a cute kid,” she answered, poking her tongue past her teeth.

With a few quick strides, Sam captured Alex into her arms. She kissed her neck and bit down playfully, soothing the spot with her tongue. “And here I was, thinking you were in it for my legs. You can’t seem to stop staring at them.”

Alex hummed. “You have legs for days, can you blame a girl?” she whispered, drawing Sam into a kiss.

Sam deepened their kiss, but it didn’t last long. She laced her fingers with Alex’s, quietly making their way to Ruby’s bedroom to check up on her.

Ruby was asleep with a stuffed animal next to her. She had her thumb in her mouth, cheek pressed to her pillow.

Alex’s heart swelled at the sight. Sure, she was young, and the future was unsure, but when she looked at Ruby, and then at Sam, she felt something that fit. She already loved both of them so much, and she couldn’t imagine that feeling ever fading away.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena sat on her couch next to Kara. She pinched herself two times when she went to pick up Kara, struggling to wrap her head around the fact this was a sleepover. She prepared a guest room for Kara, of course. She wouldn’t want to be wildly inappropriate, even though her bed was without a doubt big enough for both of them.

This time there was no risk of her mother coming home, considering she installed a tracking app on her mother’s phone, which told her how her mother was currently on the other side of the globe. 

“Look how fuzzy my socks are,” Kara said, wriggling her toes in her yellow socks.

Lena had no idea how Kara could bear wearing socks where each toe was separated. If someone put those on her feet, she would burn them, but they looked cute on Kara. “Are you going to keep wriggling your toes?” she asked, finding it distracting, though not in an annoying way.

“I might,” Kara answered with an innocent shrug. She looked at Lena and gave her smile which reached all the way up to her eyes.

Lena’s face inched closer to Kara’s. Her eyes flit down to Kara’s pink lips, watching as Kara licked her upper lip. It was so sexy, and if anyone asked her, she would say that was the last drop for her before she couldn’t take it anymore and had to pour out her feelings.

“Kara,” Lena whispered, lifting a hand to Kara’s jaw. “I want to kiss you,” she confessed, feeling too shy to simply go for it, no matter how much she wanted to because she didn’t want to ruin everything if she had this all wrong.

There was a connection between them. Something tangible. Lena felt it in the air between them, in the moments they spent together. She had a crush on Kara for quite some time, but this year, especially the last two months, it evolved into something more profound, something she couldn’t ignore. It was impossible not to think about kissing Kara when being with her gave her one happy memory after another.

“Okay,” Kara said. One word, easy. A sign that Lena hadn’t imagined their connection.

Lena moved slowly, giving Kara the chance to pull away if she changed her mind, which she hoped Kara wouldn’t. She pressed her lips to Kara’s, a chaste kiss to soft lips. God, Kara’s mouth was like velvet, she never kissed a girl with such plaint lips before, not chapped in the slightest.

Kara kissed Lena back, a mere flutter, a soft brush. It felt experimental, exploring, testing.

Lena felt her cheeks heat up when a moan escaped her. She parted her lips, teasing Kara’s with her tongue, but the moment fell apart as Kara abruptly pulled away from her. “Too much too soon?” she asked, heart-rate spiking, worried Kara was going to bolt.

What was Lena thinking? Of course, it was too soon. It was only their first kiss. She couldn’t go around, trying to stick her tongue into Kara’s mouth. And now Kara stared at her like a deer caught in headlights.

Kara stirred out of her frozen state. “It’s not you. It’s me,” she said with a deep sigh.

Lena couldn’t stop the scoff that escaped her. “You could have said no,” she pointed out, unsure how to feel about Kara allowing her to kiss her if she wasn’t into her.

“No, wait, I can explain,” Kara replied, fidgeting with her glasses. “I like you.”

That brought Lena back to thinking it was too much too soon. “Okay,” she whispered, frowning. “I’m listening.”

Kara took a deep, audible breath. “I’m asexual,” she blurted out, gulping while she glanced at Lena. “A sex-repulsed asexual.”

“Oh,” Lena replied with genuine surprise. “You’re ace. Okay,” she said, nodding as the news sank in, which gave her more of a picture as to why Kara pulled away.

“Do you know what it is or would you like me to explain?”

“Well, I know about asexuality,” Lena answered, which truly, she did. Before she discovered she was a lesbian, she thoroughly did research, both to discover what she felt comfortable with, and out of curiosity to expand her horizon. “But if you’re okay with talking about your sexuality, I’d like to hear what it means for you. Each person is different, and while I get the main gist, no two people are the same.”

“Rao, yes, that’s true,” Kara replied, cracking a smile. “Okay, so, um, I’m not interested in… being intimate like that,” she explained, making vague gestures with her hands while she talked. “I didn’t mind it when you kissed me, but I didn’t like it when you tried to deepen our kiss because I’m not into that kind of kissing. I also don’t like it when a kiss is prolonged, even when it’s just lips against lips with no tongue.”

Lena made a mental note to never try and kiss Kara with tongue ever again. If she ever got another chance to kiss her, that was. With Kara’s explanation, she understood it wasn’t a rejection or a matter of going too fast. She should have kept their kiss brief and innocent.

“I like holding hands, and hugs, and cuddles,” Kara went on, fumbling with her glasses in between words. “But I don’t like it when hands roam my body, other than to caress my back because that feels nice. I do like you, and I like spending time with you. I’m sorry if the things I explained are disappointing for you to hear.”

Lena shook her head. “They’re not,” she disagreed. “And you don’t need to apologize for who you are. How I feel about you isn’t going to change just because you’re asexual. I’m interested in you as a person,” she expressed, and even if she never got to kiss Kara ever again, she would still love to hang out with her.

Kara ducked her head. “How you feel about me…?” she questioned, biting her lip as she looked Lena in the eyes.

“I, well,” Lena began. Her heart hammered in her chest when Kara took her hand in hers. “I like you, and I would love to date you, but only if you’re okay with it.”

Kara’s lips parted. “Really?” she asked, her voice shrill. “After everything I just said, you’d date me?”

“Yes, but only if you’re comfort-” Lena was cut off by Kara pecking her lips, and even though it hardly lasted a second, it left her feeling dazed. “Wow,” she breathed out. “Is it okay if I kiss you, briefly?” she asked carefully, mindful now of what Kara liked and disliked. “And that was a yes, right? To dating?”

Lena smiled when Kara nodded. “Okay, just checking,” she whispered, leaning in, but she paused before her lips came close to Kara. “And the kiss?”

“One more, but then you’ll have to wait a month for another.”

“Okay.”

“Rao, Lena, that was a joke!” Kara exclaimed, chuckling. “Quick kisses are always fine.”

“Always?” Lena teased if only to get back at Kara. “How about in the middle of the school cafeteria.”

Kara pouted. “I don’t like doing that in public.”

“Neither do I,” Lena agreed, never having been much into the public displays of affection.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Sam checked her girlfriend out when they went to her bedroom, lingering at the door so she could roam her eyes down Alex’s back. She licked her lips and sank her teeth into her lower lip, thinking how nice Alex’s ass looked. Sharing a bed with her was going to be interesting.

Alex sat down on Sam’s bed. “Thirsty much?” she asked, her tone light and teasing.

“Oh hush, during our first date you were about to unbutton my shirt,” Sam reminded Alex, sauntering up to her bed.

“Fine,” Alex sighed. “We’re even then,” she said, fisting her hand in Sam’s loose-fitting black shirt.

Sam allowed herself to be pulled, smiling as she landed on top of Alex. “Who’s thirsty now?” she asked, kissing Alex’s left cheek, then her right, and finally her lips.

“You’re on top of me, what do you think?”

“Smart ass,” Sam chuckled, shifting so she was no longer on top of Alex.

Sam drew Alex closer, spooning her. She kissed Alex’s shoulder and the back of her neck. Okay, perhaps she was a bit thirsty, but she was attracted to her girlfriend, so it was hard not to be, especially now that they shared a bed. Not that she intended for any shenanigans to take place. They were taking things slow, which was good.

Alex turned around until she was nose to nose with Sam. “Hi,” she whispered, lips stretching into a smile. “This feels surreal. Two months ago when I said yes to going to the dance with you, I never thought all of this would happen, but I’m glad it did.”

Sam was glad it happened, too. She used to think there was no way Alex was going to come out of the closet anytime soon. The dance all transpired after Alex’s sister suggested they could go together, under the guise of feminism. She felt like Kara was a wingwoman she didn’t know she had, and from what Alex told her, Maggie was helpful as well.

“I never thought you’d make the first move,” Sam confessed, caressing Alex’s cheek with her thumb in soft, slow strokes.

Alex kissed the pad of Sam’s thumb. “Vote of confidence much?”

“Sorry, babe,” Sam whispered, angling her head, brushing Alex’s lips with hers. “I can make it up to you.”

Alex threaded her fingers through Sam’s hair as they kissed.

Sam was tempted to pin Alex down and just about ravish her with her lips, but she kept herself in check, settling for a long kiss where they met each other’s pace without trying to take the upper hand. It felt surreal to her, too. She had no idea how she got this lucky to end up with the girl of her dreams.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara took her time putting her things in her backpack while the other students made it out of the classroom, eager to enjoy their Friday night.

Lena put a hand on Kara’s shoulder, just barely. “Do you need me to wait outside?” she asked, her voice below a whisper.

Kara smiled and responded with a brief nod. She followed her girlfriend with her eyes, still mildly shocked she had a girlfriend because she never anticipated having a relationship anytime soon. Lena knew a lot about her, and it felt like a breath of fresh air how she didn’t have to keep secrets from her. She even told Lena what happened during the dance, what their science teacher said to her. She knew she could trust Lena.

“Not eager to leave on this lovely Friday afternoon?” Miss Ardeen asked Kara while everyone else was gone. “I presume you wish to speak to me.”

“Yes, I do,” Kara confirmed, pushing the strap of her backpack over her shoulder.

Kara stared when Miss Ardeen gathered things on her desk without touching them. Everything simply flew through the air. “Telekinesis,” she said, failing to hide her surprise.

Kara knew there were more aliens on earth, but aside from her cousin, she never met any until now. “Where are you from?” she asked, smiling while she approached her teacher’s desk.

“Saturn,” Miss Ardeen answered, smiling back at her. “And you’re Kara Zor-El from Krypton.”

Kara froze in her tracks. “H-how…” She gulped because she couldn’t imagine someone told her.

“I’m here to give some people a second chance.”

“You took Leslie in,” Kara blurted out, and while she wasn’t sure before, the look of surprise on her teacher’s face confirmed she was right. “Are you here to help?”

“I’m here as a friend. You’ll do great things someday, Supergirl.”

Kara’s jaw dropped. Her cousin was Superman, so either this was a random coincidence, or Miss Ardeen revealed she was going to be a hero. She would love to use her powers to help people. Something slowly clicked in her head.

“Are you from the future?” Kara asked, feeling like she was going to combust on the inside due to how exciting this all was. “Rao, I bet you are!” she exclaimed before her teacher had the chance to answer. “Is Lena in my future?” she questioned, chewing her lip.

Miss Ardeen’s lips curled up into a smile. She said nothing as she walked out of the classroom.

“Rao, what does that mean?” Kara groaned as she watched Miss Ardeen’s retreating form. “Are you smiling because she will be?”

 


	14. EPILOGUE

**_Six years later…_ **

 

Alex checked her watch on her wrist. “Shoot,” she muttered. “I have to pick up Ruby.”

“I thought Sam was going to pick her up,” Maggie commented.

Alex glanced at Maggie’s ridiculous large blue jacket. It was cute how Maggie became a detective, but her best friend was good at her job, and so was she. Joining the DEO was something she thoroughly discussed with her girlfriend and her sister.

“Hey, Saturn Girl,” Alex called out when her old science teacher was about to leave.

“You could call me Imra.”

Alex nodded, but it was a force of habit while she was on the job, just as she called her sister Supergirl when they were working. “Thanks for stopping me from killing Kara’s aunt,” she said, and she meant it because last night, she almost ended Astra’s life.

Alex had no idea how she would have been able to live with that. It was quite the slap for her sister to learn her aunt was alive, only to see Astra was on the wrong side of things. Kara believed her aunt could be redeemed, but then Astra had the director of the DEO in a hold that was going to end his life. She had a kryptonite sword in her hands, and she nearly stabbed Astra when Imra interfered.

Imra insisted there was another way and that redemption was possible. They managed to capture Astra, much to Kara’s relief.

Electricity flowed around them.

“Are y’all having a tea party without me?”

“Livewire,” Maggie said, grinning at Leslie who she dated on and off over the past years.

Alex shook her head when they kissed, but whatever they did was their business. She was shocked how a few months ago, due to bad weather mixed with an accident, Leslie became Livewire. Imra must have known, considering she called Leslie Livewire for the past six years. She often wondered what else Imra knew, but when she questioned her, she didn’t get many answers.

Maggie shoved Leslie when she gave her a shock. “You’re late, you know,” she muttered, pulling Leslie close for another kiss.

“Are you sure about that?” Leslie replied, smirking down at Maggie’s large, blue jacket. “While y’all were standing here doing who knows what, I stopped a bank robbery. Zapping people is fun. My powers beat a taser any day. Speaking of tasers, recharge me?”

“Because of you I always carry two,” Maggie said while she tased Leslie.

Leslie let the electricity flow through her body. “Mhmm, that’s better. I was feeling a little depleted.”

“Don’t forget I’m cooking dinner,” Imra reminded Leslie. “Maggie, you’re welcome to join if you’d like.”

“Pizza and beer are all I need, but I’ll think about it.”

“She’ll be there,” Leslie told Imra. “Unless you don’t want dessert,” she said to Maggie.

“Okay, I’m leaving,” Alex announced. “And not because you two should get a room already but because Sam will kick my ass if I’m late.”

“Kinky,” Maggie replied, grinning. “Get it, Danvers.”

Alex jogged towards school because she wasn’t interested in sleeping on the couch tonight. It was Ruby’s first day of first grade, and she knew Ruby counted on both of her parents being there for her.

Sam stood by the gate when Alex arrived, opening her mouth to speak.

“Mommy! Mammy!” Ruby shouted while she sprinted towards her parents. “I made a drawing of our family!”

Alex knelt down, smiling as her six-year-old barreled into her arms, relieved she made it on time. “Hey, sweetheart,” she said, giving Ruby a tight hug. “Did you now?”

“Uh-huh!”

“We’d love to see it,” Sam said to Ruby, crouching down to hug her as well. “You’re lucky,” she whispered in Alex’s ear.

“I tell myself that every day,” Alex replied while she looked at the two people she loved more than anything in the world.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Kara’s cape billowed as she landed on the balcony. Living high up in a building gave her a gorgeous view of the city. National City was more crowded than Midvale, but when the majority of her family and friends moved here two years ago, she did as well.

“Ah-ah,” Lena objected when Kara was about to enter through the glass door. “Wipe your shoes first. One of us mops the floor, you know.”

“Rao, I could clean if you’d give me a chance.”

“Coating the floor in a layer of ice and then melting it with your eyes doesn’t count as cleaning.”

“Okay, cleaning expert,” Kara sighed under her breath. Lena wasn’t wrong. Her way of cleaning wasn’t exactly ideal, but it was fast and easy, even if it sometimes meant accidentally burning the furniture.

Lena raised a brow. “What did you say?”

“Hmm, me?” Kara asked, taking off her boots, placing them outside on the balcony before she entered. Sometimes she wondered if Lena had super hearing, too, because she hardly got away with anything ever.

Lena rolled her eyes half-heartedly. She licked her lips while her eyes followed Kara around. “Are you seriously walking in slow-motion to tease me?” she asked, huffing while Kara walked so slow she almost walked backward.

Kara used her speed, and in a wink, she was in front of Lena, hands resting on Lena’s elbows. She leaned in, inch by inch, melting her lips against Lena’s, and when she heard Lena moan, it startled her, even though that wasn’t the first time, not by far.

Lena fanned herself with her hand when Kara backed away. “Excuse me,” she said, cheeks flushed red. “I need to take a shower.”

“Rao, I’m sorry,” Kara apologized. It was nothing more but a chaste kiss, but maybe she worked Lena up by how slowly she had leaned in. She never aimed to turn her on.

Lena shook her head. “You don’t have to be sorry because I’m attracted to you.”

Kara chewed the inside of her cheek. She knew Lena had needs which she couldn’t meet, not that Lena ever asked her to, and once they had an in-depth conversation where she suggested Lena could resort to places or people to get what she needed, but that didn’t go down well. Lena made it clear she only had eyes for her and that she wasn’t interested in being intimate with someone else.

Kara wouldn’t count it as cheating if Lena decided someday that she did want to have sex with someone. She knew it was something she could never give her girlfriend. The only downside was how she worried Lena might leave her someday, even if Lena didn’t opt to have sex with someone. It was a concern she had throughout the six years they were together.

Lena knew and always reassured Kara she had no intention of leaving her just because she was asexual, and because they didn’t go further than cuddling, and innocent kisses. She told Kara her hands and the toys she had sufficed.

Kara grasped a bottle of water. She squeezed it too tight when she heard Lena moan under the shower. It didn’t gross her out per se because Lena was her girlfriend, but it was more than she needed to hear. She tuned in to the city while she cleaned up the water she spilled.

Roughly fifteen minutes later, Lena walked up to Kara, wearing one of Kara’s shirts. She snaked her arms around Kara’s waist and pressed a kiss to her neck, just one.

Kara hummed while she placed her hands on top of Lena’s, enjoying the view together. “I love you, Lena,” she said earnestly, smiling as Lena nuzzled closer.

“I love you, Kara,” Lena whispered. “Can I have a hug?”

“Always,” Kara answered, turning around so she could properly hug her girlfriend.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lena sipped her wine, smiling when Alex came back from the restroom. Over the years, she built a friendship with Alex, and they made a point out of spending time together without their respective girlfriends at least once a month.

“So,” Alex began, grasping her glass. “What was the important news you wanted to share?”

Lena twirled the liquid in her glass. She took another sip before setting her glass down. In a text she sent to Alex, she mentioned she needed to share something with her. It was a big deal, not something she would share over the phone or by shooting Alex a quick message.

“I’m taking Kara to a restaurant tonight,” Lena revealed calmly, which wasn’t news in itself because she had done that before. “I convinced the chef to cook her favorite dish. At the end of the night, I’m going to propose to her.”

Alex spat out her sip of wine. “Wow okay, you’re going to propose to my sister?” she asked, reaching for a napkin. “I didn’t see that coming.”

Lena smiled, sensing no disapproval. “I’m in love with Kara. I know in my heart there’s nobody else I’d rather spend the rest of my life with,” she answered while she took a small box out of her pocket, showing Alex the ring inside of it, which she spent months trying to find.

Lena had every intention to face her feelings and share them with Kara. She wanted Kara to know what they had was real and that she was in it for the long run. Tonight, she also hoped they could discuss the possibility of fostering or even adopting a child someday.

“God, I’m going to cry,” Alex said while her eyes filled with tears. “We’re going to be sisters.”

Lena felt like nothing could keep the smile off of her face tonight because what Alex didn’t know was that Sam was going to propose to her. When she bought a ring for Kara, Sam was right there with her to buy one for Alex.

Sisters indeed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's a wrap. :)

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to write a multi-chapter fic with Kara being asexual for a while now. It's been a long time since I wrote "Awakening" and that was only a one-shot. 
> 
> Kudos and comments are appreciated. They motivate me to keep writing. :)


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